GIFT   OF 


± 


State  of  Connecticut 


ELECTION 
LAWS 


COMPILED  BY  THE  SECRETARY 


By  direction  of  the 
General  Assembly 

1906 


;   - 


PUBLICATION 

>EOYEB  BY 

The  Board  of  Control 


gJHBBfi 


ELECTION    LAWS 

OF   THE 

State   of  Connecticut 

AND 

Laws  of  the  United  States 

CONCERNING 

Naturalization. 


Unless  otherwise  indicated,  section  numbers  herein 
refer  to  sections  from  the  General  Statutes  of  Con- 
necticut,  Revision  of  1902. 


§  43.     Election    by    illegal     practices. 

Every  person  elected  to  either  house  of  the 
general  assembly  by  any  illegal  practice 
shall  be  incapable  of  holding  his  seat,  un- 
less he  can  show  to  the  satisfaction  of 
such  house  that  he  was  not  directly  or  in- 
directly concerned  in  it;  and  if  any  per- 
son, elected  a  representative  of  any  town, 
shall  himself,  or  by  any  other  person,  offer 
or  distribute  gratuitously  among  the  elec- 
tors any  liquors,  on  the  day  of  their  meet- 
ing for  the  choice  of  representatives,  or 
shall,   on   any   previous    day,   entertain   the 

2571I61 


■'.clecipjp;;.  in /Uke'ifianjie/,  with  the  intent  to 
procure*  their  votes?  5ifr  shall  be  considered 
as  guilty  of  undue  influence  and  illegal  prac- 
tice, and  shall  forfeit  his  seat  in  the  house. 

§  145.  Election;  office;  vacancy.  There 
shall  be  an  attorney-general  chosen  by  bal- 
lot in  the  same  manner  as  other  state  of- 
ficers on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first  Mon- 
day of  November^  1902,  and  quadrennially 
thereafter,  to  hold  his  office  for  a  term  of 
four  years  from  and  after  the  Wednesday 
following  the  first  Monday  of  the  next 
succeeding  January,  and  until  his  success- 
or is  duly  chosen  and  qualified.  He  shall 
be  an  elector  of  this  state,  and  an  attorney- 
at-law  of  at  least  ten  years  active  practice  at 
the  bar  of  this  state.  His  office  shall  be  at  the 
capitol.  Any  vacancy  arising  shall  be  filled 
by  appointment  by  the  governor,  for  the 
unexpired  term. 

§  189.  How  constituted.  Judge;  term; 
clerk.  There  shall  be  a  court  of  probate 
in  each  probate  district,  held  by  one  judge, 
elected  biennially  for  that  purpose,  whose 
term  of  office  shall  commence  on  the  Wed- 
nesday after  the  first  Monday  in  January 
next  succeeding  his  election ;  and  such 
judge,  before  entering  upon  his  duties,  shall 
be  sworn,  and  shall  record  his  certificate 
of  election  upon  the  records  of  his  court; 
and    each    court    of    probate    shall    have    a 


clerk  appointed  by  it,  and  sworn,  who  shall 
continue  in  office  until  he  shall  resign,  be 
removed,    or    superseded. 


§  415.    Justices  when  and  how  elected. 

Justices  of  the  peace  shall  be  elected  bi- 
ennially, at  the  electors'  meetings  held  for 
the  choice  of  state  officers  and  representa- 
tives ;  and  those  persons,  not  exceeding  the 
legal  number,  who  shall  receive  a  plurality 
of  the  votes  in  each  town,  shall  be  de- 
clared elected  by  the  presiding  officer. 

§  1590.  Congressional  representation 
and  districts.  For  the  purpose  of  repre- 
sentation in  the  congress  of  the  United 
States,  there  shall  be  elected  in  the  manner 
provided  by  law  one  representative  who 
shall  be  designated  as  "Representative  at 
Large,"  and  who  shall  be  voted  for  by  all 
the  electors  of  this  state.  The  other  repre- 
sentatives in  said  congress  shall  be  chosen 
respectively  from  each  of  the  following  dis- 
tricts, viz. : 

District  number  one,  to  consist  of  the 
counties  of  Hartford  and  Tolland. 

District  number  two,  to  consist  of  the 
counties  of  New  Haven  and  Middlesex. 

District  number  three,  to  consist  of  the 
counties   of   New    London    and   Windham. 

District  number  four,  to  consist  of  the 
counties  of  Fairfield  and  Litchfield. 


§    1591.     As    amended   by    Chap.    178, 
Pub.    Acts,    1903.      Senatorial    districts. 

The  senate  shall  consist  of  thirty-five  sena- 
tors, and  the  state  shall  be  divided  into 
thirty-five  districts,  in  each  of  which  one 
senator  shall  be  elected,  as  follows :  Dis- 
trict number  one,  to  consist  of  wards  eight, 
nine,  and  ten  in  the  city  of  Hartford.  Dis- 
trict number  two,  to  consist  of  wards  three, 
four,  five  and  six  in  the  city  of  Hartford. 
District  number  three,  to  consist  of  wards 
one,  two,  and  seven  in  the  city  of  Hartford. 
District  number  four,  to  consist  of  the 
towns  of  East  Hartford,  Glastonbury,  Man- 
chester, Marlborough,  Newington,  South 
Windsor,  Rocky  Hill,  and  Wethersfield. 
District  number  five,  to  consist  of  the  towns 
of  Avon,  Berlin,  Bristol,  Burlington,  Farm- 
ington,  Plainville,  Southington,  and  West 
Hartford.  District  number  six,  to  consist 
of  the  town  of  New  Britain.  District  num- 
ber seven,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Bloom- 
field,  Canton,  East  Granby,  East  Windsor, 
Enfield,  Granby,  Hartland,  Simsbury,  Suf- 
field,  Windsor,  and  Windsor  Locks.  Dis- 
trict number  eight,  to  consist  of  wards 
eight,  nine,  twelve,  and  fourteen  in  the 
city  of  New  Haven.  District  number  nine, 
to  consist  of  wards  one,  two,  ten,  and 
thirteen  in  the  city  of  New  Haven.  District 
number  ten,  to  consist  of  wards  three,  four, 
and  five  in  the  city  of  New  Haven.  District 
number    eleven,    to    consist    of    wards    six, 


seven,  eleven,  and  fifteen  in  the  city  of  New 
Haven.  District  number  twelve,  to  consist 
of  the  towns  of  Branford,  East  Haven, 
Guilford,  Hamden,  Madison,  North  Bran- 
ford,  North  Haven,  and  Wallingford.  Dis- 
trict number  thirteen,  to  consist  of  the 
town  of  Meriden.  District  number 
fourteen,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Bethany, 
Cheshire,  Milford,  Naugatuck,  Orange, 
Prospect,  Woodbridge,  and  Wolcott.  Dis- 
trict number  fifteen,  to  consist  of  wards 
one,  two,  and  three  in  the  city  of  Water- 
bury.  District  number  sixteen,  to  consist 
of  wards  four  and  five  in  the  city  of  Water- 
bury.  District  number  seventeen,  to  con- 
sist of  the  towns  of  Ansonia,  Beacon  Falls, 
Derby,  Middlebury,  Oxford,  Seymour,  and 
Southbury.  District  number  eighteen,  to 
consist  of  the  towns  of  Groton  and  New 
London.  District  number  nineteen,  to  con- 
sist of  the  towns  of  Ledyard,  Norwich,  and 
Preston.  District  number  twenty,  to  con- 
sist of  the  towns  of  Bozrah,  Colchester, 
East  Lyme,  Franklin,  Griswold,  Lyme,  Leb- 
anon, Lisbon,  Montville,  North  Stonington, 
Old  Lyme,  Salem,  Sprague,  Stonington, 
Voluntown,  and  Waterford.  District  num- 
ber twenty-one,  to  consist  of  voting  districts 
one,  two,  three,  four  and  five  in  the  city 
of  Bridgeport.  District  number  twenty- 
two,  to  consist  of  voting  districts  six,  seven, 
eight,  and  eleven  in  the  city  of  Bridgeport. 
District  number  twenty-three,  to  consist  of 


voting  districts  nine,  ten,  and  twelve  in  the 
city  of  Bridgeport.  District  number  twenty- 
four,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Bethel, 
Brookfield,  Danbury,  New  Fairfield,  Red- 
ding, Ridgefield,  and  Sherman.  District 
number  twenty-five,  to  consist  of  the  towns 
of  Easton,  Fairfield,  Huntington,  Monroe, 
Newtown,  Stratford,  Trumbull,  Weston, 
and  Westport.  District  number  twenty- 
six,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Darien,  New 
Canaan,  Wilton,  and  Norwalk  as  it  was 
January  i,  1903.  District  number  twenty- 
seven,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Greenwich 
and  Stamford.  District  number  twenty- 
eight,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Ashford, 
Eastford,  Killingly,  Putnam,  Thompson, 
and  Woodstock.  District  number  twenty- 
nine,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Brooklyn, 
Canterbury,  Chaplin,  Hampton,  Plainfield, 
Pomfret,  Scotland,  Sterling,  and  Windham. 
Districty  number  thirty,  to  consist  of  the 
towns  of  Goshen,  Harwinton,  Litchfield, 
New  Hartford,  and  Torrington.  District 
number  thirty-one,  to  consist  of  the  towns 
of  Barkhamsted,  Canaan,  Colebrook,  Corn- 
wall, Kent,  Norfolk,  North  Canaan,  Salis- 
bury, Sharon,  and  Winchester.  District 
number  thirty-two,  to  consist  of  the  towns 
of  Bethlehem,  Bridgewater,  Morris,  New 
Milford,  Plymouth,  Roxbury,  Thomaston, 
Warren,  Washington,  Watertown,  and 
Woodbury.  District  number  thirty-three, 
to  consist  of  the  towns-  of  Cromwell,  Mid- 


dlefield,  and  Middletown.  District  number 
thirty-four,  to  consist  of  the  towns  of  Chat- 
ham, Chester,  Clinton,  Durham,  East  Had- 
dam,  Essex,  Haddam,  Killingworth,  Old 
Saybrook,  Portland,  Saybrook,  and  West- 
brook.  District  number  thirty-five,  to  con- 
sist of  the  towns  of  Andover,  Bolton, 
Columbia,  Coventry,  Ellington,  Hebron, 
Mansfield,  Somers,  Stafford,  Tolland, 
Union,   Vernon,   and   Wellington. 

§    1592.      Town    voting    districts.      At 

electors*  meetings,  and,  where  so  declared 
by  law,  at  town  and  city  meetings,  the  towns 
of  Avon,  Barkhamsted,  Berlin,  Bethany, 
Branford,  Bridgeport,  Bristol,  Brooklyn, 
Burlington,  Canton,  Chatham,  Danbury, 
Derby,  East  Lyme,  East  Windsor,  Enfield, 
Essex,  Fairfield,  Farmington,  Griswold, 
Groton,  Haddam,  Hartford,  Huntington, 
Killingly,  Litchfield,  Meriden,  Middletown, 
New  Britain,  New  Hartford,  New  Haven, 
Newtown,  North  Branford,  Norwalk,  Nor- 
wich, Orange,  Plymouth,  Redding,  Stafford, 
Stamford,  Stonington,  Stratford,  Thomp- 
son, Wallingford,  Waterbury,  *  Windsor,  and 
Woodstock  are,  and  shall  remain  divided 
into  voting  districts ;  and  the  number  and 
boundaries  of  such  districts  in  each  town 
shall  be  and  remain  as  they  are  now  fixed 
and  established  by  law;  provided,  that  each 
of  the  towns  of  Canton  and  New  Hartford 
shall,   at  all   town   meetings,   including  the 

*  Waterford  divided  into  voting-  districts.     Spec- 
ial Laws.    Vol.  XIV— page  61. 

7 


annual  meeting  and  such  electors'  meetings 
as  are  held  on  the  first  Monday  of  October, 
constitute  one  voting  district,  and  said  meet- 
ings shall  be  held  in  the  first  voting  dis- 
trict; but  for  the  purpose  of  voting  at  other 
electors'  meetings,  shall  remain  divided  into 
two  voting  districts.  All  town  business  of 
the  town  of  Burlington  not  requiring  a 
vote  by  ballot  shall  be  transacted  in  the  first 
voting  district. 

§  1593-  Who  may  be  admitted  elect- 
ors. Every  male  citizen  of  the  United 
States  who  shall  have  attained  the  age  of 
twenty-one  years,  who  shall  have  resided  in 
this  state  for  a  term  of  one  year  next 
preceding,  and  in  the  town  in  which  he  may 
offer  himself  to  be  admitted  to  the  priv- 
ileges of  an  elector  at  least  six  months  next 
preceding  the  time  he  may  so  offer  himself, 
and  who,  at  the  time  of  offering  himself 
shall  be  able  to  read  in  the  English  lan- 
guage any  article  of  the  constitution  or  any 
section  of  the  statutes  of  the  state,  and 
shall  sustain  a  good  moral  character,  shall,  on 
taking  the  oath  prescribed  by  law,  be  an 
elector;  provided,  however,  that  any  new 
or  additional  qualification  herein  imposed 
shall  not  be  required  of  any  person  who  has 
heretofore  been  admitted  to  the  privileges 
of  an  elector  in  this  state. 

§  1594.      Good   moral    character:    con- 
struction.    No  person  shall  be  deemed  to 
8 


sustain  a  good  moral  character,  in  accord- 
ance with  the  provisions  of  section  two  of 
article  six  of  the  constitution,  or  shall  be 
admitted  to  the  privileges  of  an  elector, 
who  has,  during  his  minority,  been  con- 
victed three  or  more  times,  of  any  offense 
punishable  by  the  laws  of  this  state  with 
imprisonment,  or  with  fine  and  imprison- 
ment; or  who  has,  within  twelve  months 
before  reaching  his  majority,  been  convicted 
of  any  offense  mentioned  in  section  three 
of  article  six  of  the  constitution;  or  who, 
at  the  time  of  reaching  his  majority,  was 
serving  a  term  in  jail  or  prison  for  any  such 
offense.  No  idiot  or  insane  person  shall  be 
admitted  an  elector. 

§  1595.  Blind  electors.  No  person, 
otherwise  qualified  to  be  an  elector  in  this 
state,  shall  be  held  to  be  ineligible  by  rea- 
son of  blindness  or  defective  sight;  but  if 
the  applicant  shall  be  able  to  write  any  arti- 
cle of  the  constitution  or  any  section  of  the 
statutes  of  this  state  from  dictation,  or 
read  the  same  in  raised  print  or  the  point 
characters  used  by  the  blind,  it  shall  be 
sufficient  evidence  of  his  ability  to  read  as 
required  by  law. 

§  1596.  Deputy-registrars.  Each  reg- 
istrar of  voters  immediately  after  his  elec- 
tion shall  appoint  a  deputy-registrar,  to 
hold   office   during   his    pleasure,    and    may 

9 


at  any  time  fill  any  vacancy  in  said  office ; 
and  he  shall  file  with  the  town  clerk  a 
certificate  of  every  such  appointment,  and 
the  town  clerk  shall  record  the  certificate 
with  the  records  of  town  meetings. 

§  1597.     Duties     of     deputy-registrars. 

Every  deputy-registrar  shall  assist  his  prin- 
cipal when  required,  discharge  his  duties 
in  his  absence  or  inability  to  act,  and,  in 
case  of  the  death,  removal,  or  resignation 
of  such  principal,  shall  become  registrar, 
and  appoint  a  deputy,  and  shall  file  with 
the  town  clerk  a  certificate  of  such  appoint- 
ment, which  shall  be  recorded  with  the 
records  of  town  meetings. 

§  1598.  Vacancy  in  office  of  registrar. 
In  case  a  vacancy  shall  exist  in  the  office 
of  registrar  in  consequence  of  a  refusal  or 
failure  to  accept  the  office,  or  a  failure  to 
have  appointed  a  deputy-registrar,  the  se- 
lectmen and  town  clerk  shall  fill  such  va- 
cancy by  the  appointment  of  some  suitable 
person,  who  shall  not  belong  to  the  same 
political  party  as  the  other  registrar  of  such 
town. 

§  1599.     Assistant  registrars  of  voters. 

Each  registrar  in  any  and  all  towns  divided 
into  voting  districts  may,  from  time  to  time, 
appoint  and  employ  one  assistant  for  each 
voting  district  therein,  who  shall  assist  the 


registrars  in  the  performance  of  their 
duties,  and  shall  appoint  such  assistants  for 
the  performance  of  necessary  duties  re- 
quired by  this  and  the  succeeding  chapter* 
on  election  day  and  the  six  days  preceding. 

§  1600.  To  be  sworn.  Each  registrar, 
deputy-registrar,  and  assistant,  before  en- 
tering upon  the  duties  of  his  office,  shall  be 
sworn,  and  a  certificate  thereof  shall  be 
filed  and  recorded  in  the  office  of  the  town 
clerk. 

§  1601.  Who  may  be  registered.  Every 
person  who  will,  have  resided  in  this  state 
one  year  and  in  the  town  six  months  next 
preceding  an  electors'  meeting,  and  who 
has  been  admitted  or  previously  registered 
as  an  elector  in  such  town,  shall,  unless  he 
has  forfeited  the  privileges  of  an  elector  by 
a  conviction  of  crime,  be  entitled  to  be  reg- 
istered, and  after  such  registration  to  vote 
therein.  But  no  person  shall  be  deemed  to 
have  lost  his  residence  in  any  town  by  rea- 
son of  his  absence  therefrom  in  the  service 
of  this  state  or  of  the  United  States;  pro- 
vided, that  this  section  shall  not  be  con- 
strued to  exclude  from  registration  any 
person  on  the  ground  that  he  cannot  read, 
who  was  duly  admitted  an  elector  of  this 
state  before  October,  1855. 

§  1602.    List  when  and  how  made.  The 

registrars  of  every  town  shall,  at  least 
♦§§1632-1617. 


twenty  days  before  the  electors'  meetings  to 
be  held  on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first  Mon- 
day of  November,  1902,  and  biennially 
thereafter,  complete  a  correct  list  of  all 
electors  in  their  town,  or  the  voting  dis- 
tricts therein,  who  shall  be  entitled  to  vote 
in  such  town  or  voting  districts,  at  such 
meetings,  and  shall  place  on  such  list  under 
the  title  "to  be  made"  the  names  of  those 
persons  by  whom,  or  in  whose  behalf,  the 
claim  is  made  to  either  registrar,  in  the 
manner  hereinafter  provided,  that  they  will 
be  entitled  to  be  made  electors  in  such  town 
on  or  before  the  day  of  such  meeting.  The 
residence  of  such  person  shall  be  written  on 
said  list  opposite  his  name  and  sufficiently 
described  for  identification,  giving  the  street 
and  number,  if  any;  and  the  name  of  no 
person  shall  be  placed  on  any  list  under  the 
title  "to  be  made"  after  five  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon  of  the  fourth  Monday  preceding 
the  electors'  meeting  in  November;  nor 
shall  the  name  of  any  person  be  registered 
except  in  the  town  or  district  wherein  he 
resides.  In  towns  having  less  than  five 
thousand  inhabitants  the  claim  for  registra- 
tion under  the  title  "to  be  made"  may  be 
made  either  orally  or  in  writing.  In  towns 
having  more  than  five  thousand  inhabitants 
no  person  shall  be  registered  under  the  title 
"to  be  made"  unless  he,  or  some  elector 
residing  in  such  town,  in  his  behalf,  shall 
make  written   application  to  the  registrars, 

12 


giving  his  name,  his  residence  in  that  town 
by  street  and  number,  if  any,  otherwise, 
by  school  districts,  the  date  when  he  became 
or  will  become  twenty-one  years  of  age,  the 
date  when  he  became  a  resident  of  this 
state,  the  date  when  he  became  a  resident 
of  the  town,  and  if  the  applicant  was  not 
born  a  citizen  of  the  United  States,  the  date 
when  he  became  a  resident  therein.  Either 
of  the  registrars  may  take  copies  of  the 
application,  and  they  shall  preserve  the  orig- 
inal for  use  before  the  board  of  selectmen 
and  town  clerk  when  sitting  for  the  admis- 
sion of  electors. 

§  1603.  Inmates  of  almshouses  in  New 
Haven  and  Danbury.  All  electors  entitled 
to  vote  at  any  election  in  the  cities  or  towns 
of  New  Haven  and  Danbury,  who  are  in- 
mates of  the  almshouse  in  either  of  said 
places,  except  the  paid  employees  of  said 
municipalities  at  said  almshouse,  shall  be 
registered  on  the  list  of  electors  for,  and 
vote  as  residents  of,  their  last  place  of  reg- 
istration in  said  towns  prior  to  becoming 
inmates  of  said  almshouses. 

§  1604.  Sessions  of  registrars  to  per- 
fect and  revise  lists.  The  said  registrars 
shall  be  in  session  for  the  purpose  of  per- 
fecting such  list  on  the  fourth  Monday  pre- 
ceding the  day  of  said  electors'  meeting, 
continuously  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  fore- 

13 


noon  until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  at 
some  suitable  place  in  their  respective  dis- 
tricts or  towns,  of  which  notice  shall  be 
given  by  publication  in  a  newspaper,  if 
any  is  published  in  said  town,  or  by  post- 
ing upon  the  signpost  therein  at  least  five 
days  before  said  session.  In  the  cities  of 
Hartford,  New  Haven,  New  Britain,  Bridge- 
port, and  Meriden,  and  in  the  town,  city, 
and  center  school  district  of  Waterbury,  the 
registrars  shall  enter  the  names  on  the  of- 
ficial lists  by  the  street  and  number  of  the 
house,  when  the  houses  are  numbered,  and 
not  alphabetically;  so  that  there  shall  be 
entered  on  the  list,  first,  the  street,  avenue, 
road,  or  alley;  second,  the  number  of  the 
house  or  residence  in  numerical  order,  and 
third,  the  resident  electors  in  such  house 
or  residence  in  their  alphabetical  order; 
and  those  electors,  if  any,  who  cannot  be  so 
registered  shall  be  registered  alphabetically. 
Except  in  said  cities  the  names  on  said  lists 
shall  be  arranged  alphabetically.  The  said 
lists  shall  be  completed,  certified  to  by  the 
respective  registrars,  and  deposited  in  the 
town  clerk's  office  at  least  twenty  days 
before  said  electors'  meeting,  for  public  in- 
spection ;  and  a  certified  copy  of  the  list  for 
each  district,  where  there  are  voting  dis- 
tricts, shall,  on  the  same  day,  be  posted  by 
them  at  the  place  in  such  district  where  the 
registrars  meet;  and  in  towns  where  there 
are  no  voting  districts,  a  copy  of  said  list 

14 


shall  be  posted  in  such  places  as  may  have 
been  designated  in  a  town  meeting.  Each 
registrar  shall  keep  a  copy  of  said  list  for 
his  use  in  revision.  They  shall  give  notice 
in  said  lists  of  the  times  and  places  at 
which  they  will  hold  one  or  more  sessions 
within  the  next  twelve  days  for  the  revision 
and  correction  of  said  list,  and  shall  also 
give  notice  of  such  times  and  places  by 
publication  in  a  newspaper  in  said  town  or 
by  posting  the  same  on  the  signpost  there- 
in at  least  five  days  before  the  first  of  said 
sessions.  The  number  of  sessions  shall  be 
fixed  by  the  selectmen  of  each  town. 

§  1605.  Lists  in  towns  of  less  than 
ten  thousand.  The  registrars  of  voters  in 
each  town  having  a  population  of  less  than 
ten  thousand  shall,  on  Thursday  of  the 
third  week  before  the  annual  town  meetings 
held  in  their  respective  towns  in  the  year 
1902,  and  biennially  thereafter,  hold  a  meet- 
ing at  some  place  within  their  respective 
towns  and  voting  districts  from  nine  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon  until  five  o'clock  in  the  af- 
ternoon, of  which  notice  shall  be  given  in 
the  manner  provided  in  section  1604,  at 
which  meeting  they  shall  place  on  a  list, 
under  the  title  "to  be  made,"  the  names  of 
those  persons  by  whom  or  in  whose  behalf 
a  claim  is  made  to  either  registrar  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  1602  that  they 
will    be    entitled    to    be    made    electors    in 

15 


such  town  before  the  day  of  such  annual 
town  meeting.  Such  lists  shall  be  pre- 
pared in  the  manner  provided  in  sections 
1602  and  1604;  and  in  towns  having  more 
than  five  thousand  inhabitants  no  person 
shall  be  registered  on  the  list  "to  be  made" 
unless  a  written  application  is  made  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  1602.  A 
copy  of  such  list  shall  be  put  upon  the 
public  signposts  in  each  town  and  another 
copy  shall  be  filed  by  the  registrars  with 
the  town  clerk  of  the  town.  The  registrars 
shall  also  add  to  the  list  of  electors  the 
names"  of  those  persons  who  have  formerly 
been  admitted  or  registered  as  electors  in 
their  respective  towns,  and  who  have  re- 
sided in  this  state  the  one  year  and  in  the 
town  the  six  months  next  preceding  such 
annual  town  meeting. 

§  1606.  Ansonia  electors.  The  reg- 
istrars of  voters  of  the  town  of  Ansonia 
shall,  on  Thursday  of  the  third  week  before 
the  city  meeting  of  the  city  of  Ansonia, 
held  in  the  year  1903,  and  biennially  there- 
after, hold  a  meeting  at  some  place  within 
said  town  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon 
until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  of  which 
notice  shall  be  given  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided in  section  1604,  at  which  meeting  they 
shall  place  on  a  list  under  the  title  "to 
be  made"  the  names  of  those  persons  by 
whom  or  in  whose  behalf  a  claim  is  made 
16 


to  either  registrar  in  the  manner  provided 
in  section  1602  that  they  will  be  entitled 
to  be  made  electors  in  such  town  before 
the  day  of  such  city  meeting.  Such  lists 
shall  be  prepared  in  the  manner  provided 
in  sections  1602  and  1604,  and  no  person 
shall  be  registered  on  the  list  "to  be  made'' 
unless  a  written  application  is  made  in 
the  manner  provided  in  section  1602.  A 
copy  of  such  lists  shall  be  put  upon  the  pub- 
lic signposts,  and  another  copy  shall  be 
filed  by  the  registrars  with  the  town  clerk 
of  the  town.  The  registrars  shall  also  add 
to  the  list  of  electors  the  names  of  those 
persons  who  have  formerly  been  admitted 
or  registered  as  electors  in  said  town,  and 
who  have  resided  in  this  state  the  one  year 
and  in  the  town  the  six  months  next  pre- 
ceding said  city  meeting. 

§  1607.     Lists  in  cities  to  be  printed. 

The  registrars  in  every  town  having  a  city 
within  its  limits  shall  circulate  printed 
copies  of  such  lists  in  their  respective  voting 
districts. 

§  1608.  Record  of  applicants.  The  reg- 
istrars of  voters  shall  keep  in  permanent 
form  a  record  of  all  persons  who  shall 
apply  at  any  session  of  the  selectmen  and 
town  clerk  for  admission  as  voters,  show- 
ing the  name,  residence,  age,  place  of  birth, 
and  occupation  of  the  applicant,  and  such 

17 


record  shall  be  filed  in  the  office  of  the  town 
clerk. 

§  1609.  Clerks  to  certify  names  of 
male  convicts  to  selectmen.  The  clerk  of 
every  court  of  this  state  having  criminal 
jurisdiction  shall,  annually,  between  the 
tenth  and  twentieth  days  of  October,  make 
a  list  of  all  male  persons  who,  during  the 
year  preceding  said  tenth  day  of  October, 
have  been  convicted  in  said  court  of  any 
crime  for  which  the  privileges  of  an  elector 
are  forfeited,  and  shall  annually  furnish, 
before  the  twenty-first  day  of  October,  to 
the  selectmen  of  the  towns  in  which  such 
convicted  persons  resided  at  the  time  of 
their  conviction,  a  list  of  their  names,  with 
the  date  of  their  conviction  and  the  crimes 
of  which  such  persons  have  been  convicted, 
and  the  selectmen  and  registrars  of  such 
towns  shall  compare  the  same  with  the  lists 
of  voters  then  upon  their  registry  lists,  and, 
after  due  notice  to  the  persons  named, 
shall  erase  such  names  from  the  registry 
lists  in  their  respective  towns  or  voting 
districts ;  and  any  person  who  shall  procure 
himself  or  another  to  be  registered  after 
having  been  disfranchised  by  conviction  of 
crime,  and  any  person  who  shall  vote  at 
any  electors'  meeting  after  having  for- 
feited his  privileges  by  conviction  of  crime, 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  five  hundred 
dollars  and  imprisoned  not  more  than  one 
year  in  the  county  jail.  The  provisions  of 
18 


this  section  shall  not  apply  in  the  case  of 
persons  whose  forfeited  electoral  privileges 
have  been  restored  by  the  general  assembly. 

§  1610.      Correction    of    registry    lists. 

The  registrars  shall  meet  at  the  times  and 
places  by  them  designated  in  the  notice 
given  pursuant  to  section  1604,  for  the  correc- 
tion of  the  lists,  and  any  elector  of  such  town 
may  apply  to  them  to  add  any  name  to  said 
list,  or  to  erase  any  name  thereon,  and 
if  he  shall  have,  at  least  twenty-four  hours 
before  the  time  of  any  such  meeting,  signed 
and  filed  with  each  registrar  a  written 
claim  for  such  addition  or  erasure,  stating 
the  reasons  therefor,  they  shall  at  such 
meeting  take  such  testimony  under  oath,  as 
may  be  offered  regarding  such  claim ;  but 
the  name  of  no  person  shall  be  erased  from 
said  list,  unless  written  notice  of  a  claim 
for  such  erasure  shall  have  been  left  at 
his  registered  place  of  residence,  or  per- 
sonal notice  given  him,  at  least  twenty- 
four  hours  before  one  of  said  sessions ;  and 
the  name  of  no  person  whose  right  is  con- 
tested as  aforesaid  shall  be  entered  or 
retained  on  the  corrected  list  without  the 
consent  of  both  registrars. 

§  161 1.  Appeals  from  decisions  of  reg- 
istrars. If  any  registrar  shall  refuse  to.  en- 
ter on  the  list  the  name  of  any  person 
claiming  to  be  entitled  to  registration  there- 

19 


on,  or  to  allow  a  name  entered  on  the  first 
list  to  remain  thereon,  any  elector  of  such 
town,  or  the  person  whose  right  is  brought 
in  question,  may  appeal  from  the  decision 
of  such  registrar  (upon  giving  notice  to 
him)  to  the  selectmen  and  town  clerk  of 
said  town,  who  shall  give  reasonable  notice 
to  the  registrars  of  the  time  and  place  of 
hearing  such  appeal,  when  they  may  be 
present;  and  said  selectmen  and  town  clerk 
shall  require  the  testimony,  under  oath,  of 
at  least  one  other  elector  to  the  qualifica- 
tions of  the  person  in  dispute,  and  shall 
receive  the  testimony,  under  oath,  of  such 
persons  as  the  registrars  may  offer  touch- 
ing such  qualifications;  and  if,  after  such 
hearing  by  them,  said  selectmen  and  town 
clerk  shall  declare  that  the  person  whose 
qualifications  are  in  dispute  is  entitled  to 
such  registration,  he  shall  be  registered, 
otherwise  not ;  but  said  selectmen  and  town 
clerk  shall  not  hear  any  application  not 
passed  upon  by  the  registrars,  nor  any 
appeal  of  which  notice  has  not  been  given 
as  aforesaid;  nor  shall  they  hear  or  act 
upon  any  appeal  from  the  decision  of  reg- 
istrars, under  the  provisions  of  this  sec- 
tion, until  after  a  full  compliance  with  all 
the  requirements  and  conditions  thereof 
and  of  section  1610;  and  none  of  said  con- 
ditions shall  be  waived  by  said  registrars 
or  by  the  person  making  the  appeal,  or 
by  the  person  in  whose  behalf  the  appeal 
is  made. 

20 


§  i6i2.  Corrected  list  in  town  clerk's 
office.  The  said  registrars  shall,  on  or  be- 
fore the  Wednesday  preceding  said  electors' 
meeting,  deposit  in  the  town  clerk's  office 
the  corrected  list,  arranged  as  provided  by 
this  chapter,  and  certified  by  them  to  be 
correct,  and  shall  retain  a  sufficient  number 
of  copies  to  be  used  by  them  at  said  meet- 
ing for  the  purpose  of  checking  the  names 
of  those  who  vote.  They  shall  place  on 
said  corrected  list,  in  the  order  provided  in 
section  1604,  those  electors  who  have  been  ad- 
mitted by  the  board  for  the  admission  of 
electors;  and,  under  the  title  "to  be  made," 
those  only  on  the  first  list  whose  qualifi- 
cations of  age  or  residence,  either  for  ad- 
mission or  naturalization,  appear  not  to 
have  matured  at  the  last  session  of  said 
board.  Said  list,  deposited  in  the  town 
clerk's  office,  shall  be  carefully  preserved 
in  said  office,  for  public  inspection,  and 
any  elector  may  take  copies  thereof. 

§  1613.  Clerical  errors;  corrected  list. 
If  it  appears  at  any  electors'  meeting  in 
any  town  that  the  name  of  an  elector,  who 
was  formerly  admitted  or  registered  as  an 
elector  in  such  town,  and  who  has  resided 
in  this  state  the  one  year,  and  in  the  town 
the  six  months  next  preceding  such  meet- 
ing, has  been  omitted  from  the  corrected 
list  by  clerical  error,  such  name  may  be 
added  to  the  list,  and  the  registrars  may, 
21 


upon  the  application  of  any  elector,  add 
such  name  to  said  list;  provided,  that  they 
shall  not  restore  any  name  to  the  list  on 
election  day  which  has  been  passed  upon 
by  the  registrars  at  any  one  of  the  meet- 
ings previously  held  for  the  correction  of 
the  list;  and  provided,  that  no  name  shall 
be  added  to  the  list  on  election  day,  under 
the  authority  conferred  by  this  section, 
without  the  consent  of  both  registrars ;  and 
provided  further,  that  the  name  of  no  elect- 
or shall  be  added  to  the  corrected  list  of 
electors  under  the  provisions  of  this  sec- 
tion, unless  his  name  or  some  name  in- 
tended for  his  name  shall  have  been  on 
the  corrected  list  for  the  year  previous,  or 
on  one  of  the  preliminary  lists  for  the  year 
in  which  the  registrars  are  in  session. 

§  1614.  As  amended  by  Chap.  105, 
Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Hartford,  Bridgeport 
and  New  Britain;  town  meetings;  reg- 
istration. The  registrars  of  voters  for  the 
town  of  Hartford  shall,  on  the  Thursday 
of  the  third  week  before  the  annual  meeting 
held  in  said  town  on  the  first  Monday  of 
April,  1904,  and  biennially  thereafter,  and 
the  registrars  of  voters  for  the  town  of 
Bridgeport  shall,  at  least  twenty  days  be- 
fore the  annual  meeting  held  in  said  town 
on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  of 
November,  1903,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
and  the  registrars  of  voters  for  the  town 


of  New  Britain  shall,  on  Thursday  of  the 
third  week  before  the  annual  meeting  held 
in  said  town  on  the  first  Monday  of  Octo- 
ber, 1905,  and  biennially  thereafter,  com- 
plete a  correct  list  of  all  electors  in  their 
said  towns  who  will  be  entitled  to  vote 
therein  at  such  meeting,  and  shall  hold  a 
meeting  at  some  place  within  their  towns 
and  the  voting  districts  therein,  at  which 
meeting  they  shall  place  on  a  list,  under 
the  title  "to  be  made,"  the  names  of  those 
by  whom  or  in  whose  behalf  a  claim  is 
made  to  either  registrar,  in  the  manner 
provided  in  section  1602,  that  they  will  be 
entitled  to  be  made  electors  before  the  day 
of  such  annual  town  meeting.  Such  lists 
shall  be  prepared  in  the  manner  provided 
in  chapter  103  of  the  general  statutes,  and 
no  person  shall  be  registered  on  the  list 
"to  be  made"  unless  a  written  application 
is  made  in  the  manner  provided  in  section 
1602.  A  copy  of  their  said  list  certified  by 
them  to  be  correct  shall  by  the  registrars 
of  Hartford  be  put  upon  the  public  sign- 
post in  said  town,  and  a  like  copy  filed  with 
the  town  clerk  of  said  town,  and  a  copy 
of  their  said  list  certified  by  them  to  be 
correct  shall  by  said  registrars  of  Bridge- 
port be  put  upon  the  public  signpost  in 
Bridgeport,  and  a  like  copy  shall  be  filed 
with  the  town  clerk  of  Bridgeport,  and  a 
copy  of  their  said  list  certified  by  them  to 
be  correct  shall  by  said  registrars  of  New 

23 


Britain  be  filed  with  the  town  clerk  of 
New  Britain.  Such  registrars  shall,  be- 
fore filing  said  lists,  add  thereto  the  names 
of  those  persons  who  have  formerly  been 
admitted  or  registered  as  electors  in  their 
towns,  and  who  have  resided  in  this  state 
the  one  year  and  in  such  town  the  six 
months  next  preceding  such  annual  town 
meeting.  And  in  the  year  1906,  and  bien- 
nially thereafter,  the  registrars  of  the  town 
of  New  Britain  shall,  five  days  prior  to  the 
first  Monday  of  October,  remove  from 
said  list  the  names  of  all  persons  who 
have  died,  removed  from  the  town,  or 
been  disfranchised  since  said  list  was 
prepared,  and  shall  correct  the  residences 
of  those  persons  who,  since  said  list  was 
prepared,  have  moved  from  one  voting 
district  into  another,  and  shall  add 
thereto  the  names  of  those  persons  who 
have  formerly  been  admitted  or  regis- 
tered as  electors  in  said  town  of  New 
Britain. 

§  1615.  Registration  for  town  elec- 
tions in  towns  generally.  The  registrars 
of  voters  for  the  towns  other  than 
Bridgeport  and  Hartford  shall,  on  Thurs- 
day of  the  third  week  before  the  annual 
town  meetings  held  in  their  respective 
towns  in  the  year  1903,  and  biennially 
thereafter,  hold  a  meeting  at  some  place 
within    their    respective   towns    and   voting 

24 


districts,  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon 
until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  of 
which  notice  shall  be  given  in  the  man- 
ner provided  in  section  1604,  at  which 
meeting  they  shall  place  on  a  list  under  the 
title  "to  be  made,"  the  names  of  those 
persons  by  whom  or  in  whose  behalf  a 
claim  is  made  to  either  registrar,  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  1602,  that  they 
will  be  entitled  to  be  made  electors  in 
such  town  before  the  day  of  such  annual 
town  meeting.  Such  lists  shall  be  pre- 
pared in  the  manner  provided  in  this 
chapter ;  and  in  towns  having  more  than 
five  thousand  inhabitants,  no  person  shall 
be  registered  on  the  list  "to  be  made" 
unless  a  written  application  is  made  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  1602.  A  copy 
of  such  list  shall  be  put  upon  the  pub- 
lic signposts  in  each  town,  and  another 
copy  shall  be  filed  by  the  registrars  with 
the  town  clerk  of  the  town.  The  regis- 
trars shall  also  add  to  the  list  of  electors 
the  names  of  those  persons  who  have 
formerly  been  admitted  or  registered  as 
electors  in  their  respective  towns,  and 
who  have  resided  in  this  state  the  one 
year,  and  in  the  town  the  six  months  next 
preceding  such  annual  town  meeting. 

§  1616.  Separate  list  of  women  "to  be 
made."  The  registrars  of  every  town  shail 
also  enter  upon   a  separate  list  under  the 

25 


title  "women's  list,  to  be  made,"  the 
names  of  those  women  by  whom  or  in 
whose  behalf  the  claim  is  made  to  either 
registrar  that  they  will  be  entitled  to  vote 
for  school  officers  and  on  questions  re- 
lating to  education  or  to  schools,  and  all 
applications  "to  be  made"  in  favor  of 
women,  shall  be  at  the  same  times  and  in 
the  same  form  and  set  forth  the  same 
information  as  applications  for  men  to  be 
made  electors,  and  such  claims  and  ap- 
plications shall  be  received  by  said  reg- 
istrars and  heard  and  determined  by  the 
town  clerk  and  selectmen  at  the  same 
time  that  claims  and  applications  by  men 
to  be  made  electors  are  received,  heard, 
and   determined. 

§  1617.    Population;   census.     For   the 

purposes  of  all  statutes  relating  to  the 
registration  and  admission  of  electors  the 
population  of  each  town  shall  be  de- 
termined by  the  last  completed  census  of 
the  United  States. 

§  1618.     Compensation    of    registrars. 

The  registrars  of  voters,  deputy-registrars, 
and  assistants  shall  receive  for  their  ser- 
vices, when  required  by  the  provisions  of 
chapters  103  and  104,  such  sum,  not  less 
than  two  dollars  a  day,  as  may  be  allowed 
by  the  selectmen,  and  all  expenses  incurred 
in  the  discharge  of  their  duties  shall  be 
26 


audited  by  the  selectmen  and  paid  by  the 
town,  but  in  no  case  shall  such  compensa- 
tion be  regulated  by  the  number  of  names 
registered. 

§  1619.  Hours  of  meetings.  All  public 
meetings  of  registrars  shall  be  held  be- 
tween the  hours  of  nine  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon  and  five  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon, except  as  provided  in  sections  1620 
and  1720. 

§  1620.  Meetings  for  admission  of 
electors,  when  held;  notice.  The  select- 
men and  town  clerk  of  every  town  shall 
hold  a  session  to  examine  the  qualifica- 
tions of  electors,  and  admit  to  the  elector's 
oath  those  who  shall  be  found  qualified, 
on  Friday  of  the  third  week  before  any 
electors'  meeting,  from  nine  o'clock  in  the 
forenoon  until  eight  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon in  towns  which  have  a  population  of 
five  thousand  or  more,  and  from  nine 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon  until  five  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon  in  all  other  towns,  and 
may  publicly  adjourn  said  meeting  from 
time  to  time,  if  necessary,  until  Friday  of 
the  following  week;  and  unless  all  entered 
on  the  first  list  as  "to  be  made,"  whose 
rights  shall  appear  to  have  matured,  shall 
have  been  admitted  or  rejected  by  the 
selectmen  and  town  clerk  of  any  town  be- 
fore Friday  following  the  Wednesday     of 

27 


the  second  week,  they  shall  be  in  session  on 
said  Friday  for  the  said  purpose  from  nine 
o'clock  in  the  forenoon  until  eight  o'clock 
in  the  afternoon,  and  not  at  any  time  after 
the  hour  of  eight  o'clock  in  the  after- 
noon on  said  Friday,  except,  that  if  it  ap- 
pears that  the  rights  of  any  person  on  the 
first  list  under  the  title  "to  be  made,"  will 
mature  after  said  Friday,  and  on  or  be- 
fore the  day  of  said  electors'  meeting,  they 
shall  meet  on  the  day  before  said  electors' 
meeting  from  nine  o'clock  in  the  fore- 
noon until  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon, 
and  not  afterwards,  for  the  purpose  of 
admitting  such  persons,  and  for  no  other 
purpose.  They  shall  not  have  power  to 
admit  to  the  elector's  oath  on  said  day  be- 
fore the  electors'  meeting  any  applicant 
whose  qualification  of  age  or  residence 
matured  on  or  before  the  Friday  of  the 
second  week  preceding  said  Monday,  or 
who  might  have  been  naturalized  on  or 
before  said  day.  The  registrars  shall 
write  the  names  of  those  electors  admitted 
on  said  day  on  the  proper  list,  with  their 
residence  by  street  and  number,  if  any, 
before  twelve  o'clock  in  the  evening  of 
said  day  before  the  electors'  meeting.  The 
selectmen  and  town  clerk  shall  give  notice 
of  the  times  and  places  of  their  meetings  by 
publication  in  a  newspaper  published  in 
their  town,  if  any,  and  by  posting  the 
same  on  the  signpost     of     said    'town     at 

28 


least  three  days  before  such  meeting,  but 
they  shall  not  be  in  session  in  any  town  for 
the  purpose  of  admitting  electors,  ex- 
cept upon  the  days  prescribed  by  law,  and 
they  shall  not  sit  as  a  board  for  the  ad- 
mission of  electors  after  eight  o'clock  in 
the  afternoon. 

§  162 1.  When  meeting  may  close  at 
five  o'clock.  Any  meeting  for  the  admis- 
sion of  electors  may  be  closed  at  five 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon  in  any  town  hav- 
ing less  than  live  hundred  registered 
voters,  whenever  such  town  at  its  annual 
meeting  or  at  a  special  meeting,  duly 
warned,  shall  have  authorized  such  clos- 
ing. 

§  1622.    Admission    of    electors.      The 

said  board  of  selectmen  and  town  clerk 
shall  not  admit  to  the  privileges  of  an 
elector,  or  to  an  examination,  any  person, 
unless  he  shall  have  been  registered  on  the 
first  list  under  the  title  "to  be  made." 
Every  person  who  shall  present  himself  for 
examination  shall  be  first  sworn  touching 
his  right  to  be  made  an  elector,  and  he 
shall,  under  oath,  state  how  long  he  has 
continuously  resided  in  this  state  and  in 
such  town,  whether  he  is  an  alien,  or  native 
born,  and  when  he  became  twenty-one 
years  of  age,  and  before  his  admission  he 
shall  read  at  least  three  lines  of  the  con- 
29 


stitution  or  of  the  statutes  of  this  state, 
other  than  the  title  or  enacting  clause,  in 
such  manner  as  to  show  that  he  is  not 
prompted,  nor  reciting  from  memory;  said 
board  shall  allow  each  registrar,  if  de- 
manded, to  select  any  three  lines  of  the 
constitution  or  of  the  statutes  to  be  read 
by  the  applicant.  The  board  may  admit 
any  applicant  otherwise  qualified  without 
reading,  who  shall  have  lost  his  eyesight 
and  who  shall  prove  by  any  proper  record 
evidence  that  he  has  heretofore  been  ad- 
mitted an  elector  of  this  state.  If  the 
applicant  be  a  naturalized  citizen,  he  shall 
present  a  copy  of  the  record  of  his  natural- 
ization, under  the  seal  of  the  court  issu- 
ing the  same,  and  make  oath  that  he  is 
the  identical  person  named  therein,  which 
paper,  before  said  board  shall  pass  upon 
his  other  qualifications,  shall  be  indorsed 
by  the  word  "approved"  or  "disapproved," 
as  the  case  may  be,  with  the  date  of  his 
application  and  the  signature  of  the  clejk 
of  said  board.  Upon  the  request  of  any 
elector  of  such  town  they  shall  require  the 
applicant  to  prove  his  identity,  age,  and 
residence,  by  the  testimony  of  at  least  one 
elector  under  oath.  Every  person  found 
qualified  shall  take  the  oath  provided  for 
electors,  and  shall  thereupon  be  admitted 
as  an  elector  of  this  state. 

§  1623.    Voting  residence  of  pauper.  If 
any  person  shall  be  supported  in  any  town 
30 


as  a  pauper  by  the  payment  to  such  town  of 
any  weekly  or  other  regular  sum  of 
money  from  any  other  town,  his  legal  resi- 
dence for  purposes  of  registration  or  ad- 
mission as  an  elector  shall  be  in  the  town 
to  which  he  is  chargeable. 

§  1624.    List  of  electors  admitted.   The 

said  board  shall  deliver  to  the  town  clerk 
of  the  town  a  certified  list  in  writing  of 
all  persons  admitted  as  electors  at  either 
of  said  meetings,  which  shall  be  prima  facie 
evidence  that  each  person  named  therein 
possesses  the  requisite  qualifications  for 
an  elector,  and  the  names  of  all  persons 
so  admitted  shall  be  recorded  in  the  rec- 
ords of  such  town;  those  applicants  ad- 
mitted on  the  day  preceding  election  shall 
deliver  to  the  registrars  a  certificate  of 
such  admission,  and  the  registrars  shall 
write  the  word  "admitted"  opposite  the 
name  before  the  applicant  shall  vote. 

§  1625.  Hartford  and  Bridgeport;  ad- 
mission of  electors.  The  selectmen  and 
town  clerk  of  the  town  of  Hartford  shall 
hold  a  session  to  examine  the  qualifications 
of  electors,  and  admit  to  the  elector's  oath 
those  who  shall  be  found  qualified,  on 
Wednesday  and  Thursday  of  the  second 
week  before  the  annual  town  meeting  held 
in  said  town  in  1904,  and  biennially  there- 
after,  from   nine   o'clock   in   the   forenoon 

31 


until  seven  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of  each 
of  said  days ;  and  the  selectmen  and  town 
clerk  of  the  town  of  Bridgeport  shall  hold 
a  session  to  examine  the  qualifications  of 
electors  and  to  admit  to  the  elector's  oath 
those  who  shall  be  qualified,  on  Saturday 
of  the  second  week  before  the  Tuesday 
after  the  first  Monday  of  November,  1903, 
and  biennially  thereafter,  from  nine  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon  until  seven  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  and  may  adjourn  such  session 
to  the  following  Monday  for  the  same  pur- 
pose. They  shall  not  have  power  to  admit 
to  the  elector's  oath  on  said  days  any  per- 
son whose  name  is  not  on  the  list  "  to  be 
made,"  as  provided  in  section  1614,  and 
such  lists,  with  the  names  added,  shall  be 
the  registry  lists  of  said  towns.  Notice  of 
said  meetings  shall  be  given  in  the  manner 
provided  in  section  1620. 

§  1626.  Meetings  before  annual  town 
meetings..  The  selectmen  and  town  clerk 
of  every  town,  other  than  Bridgeport  and 
Hartford,  shall  hold  a  session  to  examine 
the  qualifications  of  electors  and  admit  to 
the  elector's  oath  those  who  shall  be  found 
qualified,  on  Saturday  of  the  second  week 
before  the  annual  town  meetings  held  in 
any  town  in  1903,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
from  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  until 
seven  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  unless  all 
on  the  list  "to  be  made"  have  been  ad- 
32 


mitted  or  rejected  before  that  time;  notice 
of  such  meeting  shall  be  given  in  the 
manner  provided  in  section  1620.  They 
shall  not  have  power  to  admit  to  the 
elector's  oath  on  said  day  any  person  whose 
name  is  not  on  the  list  "to  be  made,"  as 
provided  in  section  1615.  The  registrars 
shall  add  to  the  lists  prepared  for  the  last 
preceding  electors'  meetings  in  their  sev^- 
eral  towns  the  names  of  those  persons  who 
are  admitted  electors  under  the  provisions 
of  this  section  and  sections  1620  and  1625, 
and  such  lists,  with  the  names  added  as 
herein  provided,  shall  be  the  registry  lists 
which  shall  be  used  at  the  annual  town 
meetings  held  in  the  several  towns  in  the 
year  1903  and  biennially  thereafter. 

§  1627.  Meetings  in  towns  of  less  than 
ten  thousand.  The  selectmen  and  town 
clerk  of  every  town  containing  less  than 
ten  thousand  inhabitants  shall  hold  a  session 
to  examine  the  qualifications  of  the  electors 
and  admit  to  the  elector's  oath  those  who 
shall  be  found  qualified  on  Saturday  of  the 
second  week  before  the  annual  town  meet- 
ing held  in  any  such  town  in  the  year  1902, 
and  biennially  thereafter,  from  nine  o'clock 
in  the  forenoon  until  seven  o'clock  in  the 
afternoon,  unless  all  on  the  list  "  to  be 
made"  shall  have  been  admitted  or  rejected 
before  that  time.  Notice  of  such  meeting 
shall  be  given  in  the  manner  provided  in 

33 


section  1620.  No  person  whose  name  is 
not  on  the  list  "to  be  made"  shall  be  ad- 
mitted to  the  elector's  oath.  The  names  of 
those  admitted  shall  be  added  to  and  be- 
come part  of  the  registry  list  of  such  town 
in  the  same  manner  as  provided  in  section 
1626. 

§  1628.  Ansonia  electors.  The  select- 
men and  town  clerk  of  the  town  of  An- 
sonia shall  hold  a  session  to  examine  the 
qualifications  of  electors  and  admit  to  the 
elector's  oath  those  who  shall  be  found 
qualified,  on  Saturday  of  the  second  week 
before  the  city  meeting  held  on  the  first 
Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  of  Novem- 
ber, 1903,  and  biennially  thereafter,  from 
nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon  until  seven 
o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  unless  all  on  the 
list  "to  be  made"  have  been  admitted  or 
rejected  before  that  time;  and  notice  of 
such  meeting  shall  be  given  in  the  manner 
provided  in  section  1620.  No  person  whose 
name  is  not  on  the  list  "  to  be  made  "  shall 
be  admitted.  The  names  of  those  admitted 
shall  be  added  to  and  become  part  of  the 
official  registry  list. 

§  1629.  Women  voters.  Every  woman 
who  shall  have  attained  the  age  of  twenty- 
one  years,  who  shall  be  a  citizen  of  this 
state  or  of  the  United  States,  and  who 
will  have  resided  in  the  state  one  year  and 

34 


in  the  town  six  months,  and  can  read  the 
English  language,  shall,  after  having  been 
duly  admitted,  have  the  right  to  vote  for 
any  officer  of  schools  and  upon  any  ques- 
tion relating  to  education  or  to  schools. 

§  1630.  Women  to  qualify;  lists;  pen- 
alty. The  board  of  selectmen  and  town 
clerk  shall  at  any  meeting  held  by  them  for 
the  admission  of  electors,  examine  the  qual- 
ifications of  those  women  by  whom  or  in 
whose  behalf  application  has  been  made  to 
be  admitted  as  voters  for  school  officers 
and  upon  any  question  relating  to  educa- 
tion or  to  schools,  and  whose  names  ap- 
pear on  the  "  women's  list  —  to  be  made," 
and  shall  cause  the  person  in  whose  favor 
such  application  is  made  to  testify  under 
oath  to  her  qualifications  to  be  made  such 
voter,  and  shall  deliver  to  the  town  clerk 
a  certified  list  in  writing  of  all  women  who 
are  found  to  possess  the  requisite  qualifica- 
tions to  be  made  such  voters,  which  said  list 
shall  be  kept  by  said  town  clerk  as  an 
official  list;  and  the  registrars  may  restore 
to  said  list  the  name  of  any  woman,  sub- 
ject to  the  same  restrictions  and  conditions 
as  apply  to  restoration  of  names  to  the  list 
of  electors.  Every  woman  who  shall  testify 
falsely  as  to  her  qualifications  to  be  made 
a  voter,  or  knowingly  vote  illegally  at  any 
town,  school,  or  district  meeting,  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  fifty  dollars  or  im- 
prisoned not  more  than  thirty  days. 

35 


§  1631.  Separate  voting  lists.  When- 
ever registry  lists  shall  be  used  by  those 
voting  in  school  district  meetings,  the  reg- 
istrars of  voters  of  the  town  in  which  such 
districts  are  situated,  shall  prepare  sepa- 
rate lists  of  the  names  of  those  women 
residing  in  such  school  districts,  or  the 
voting  districts  of  any  such  school  districts, 
that  have  been  admitted  as  voters. 

§  1632.    Ballots;  how  furnished;  form. 

All  ballots  used  at  elections  held  on  the 
Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  in  Novem- 
ber, and  at  all  regular  town,  city,  and 
borough  elections,  and  at  all  special  elect- 
ors' meetings  held  for  the  purpose  of  elect- 
ing officers  voted  for  at  such  elections,  shall 
be  printed  on  plain  white  paper,  furnished 
by  the  secretary  of  state,  as  hereinafter  pro- 
vided. Such  ballots  shall  be  of  uniform 
color,  quality,  and  thickness  for  each  ballot 
of  the  same  class,  to  be  determined  by  the 
secretary.  In  addition  to  the  official  in- 
dorsement the  ballot  shall  contain  only  the 
names  of  the  candidates,  the  titles  of  the 
officers  to  be  voted  for,  and  the  name  of 
the  political  party  issuing  the  same,  which 
shall  be  printed  thereon  as  "  republican," 
"  democratic,"  or  "  prohibition,"  as  the  case 
may  be,  or  in  the  briefest  practicable  form 
for  any  other  party  than  either  of  those, 
and  without  the  word  "  party,"  and  with- 
out any  such  word  as  "  for  "  or  "  the,"  or 

36 


any  other  word  before  or  after  the  name  of 
the  party;  and  where  electors  of  president 
and  vice-president  are  to  be  voted  for,  the 
title  printed  over  the  names  of  the  can- 
didates therefor  shall  read,  "  electors  of 
president  and  vice-president " ;  and  where 
a  representative  at  large  in  congress  is  to 
be  voted  for,  the  title  printed  over  the 
name  of  the  candidate  therefor  shall  read, 
"  representative  at  large,"  and  shall  be 
placed  on  the  ballot  next  before,  *  repre- 
sentative in  congress " ;  and  where  a  dis- 
trict representative  in  congress  is  to  be 
voted  for,  the  title  of  that  office  shall  read, 
"  representative  in  congress " ;  and  where 
state  officers  are  to  be  voted  for,  the  title 
of  those  officers  shall  read,  "  governor," 
"  lieutenant-governor,"  "  secretary,"  "  treas- 
urer," "  comptroller,"  and  "  attorney-gen- 
eral," respectively;  and  where  other  officers 
are  to  be  voted  for,  the  titles  of  the  officers 
shall  be  described  as  they  are  respectively 
described  in  the  constitution  of  Connecti- 
cut or  if  not  therein  mentioned  then  their 
titles  shall  be  described  as  they  are  de- 
scribed in  the  statutes  which  created  them, 
respectively.  The  name  of  the  party  is- 
suing the  ballot,  the  title  of  the  officer  voted 
for,  and  the  names  of  the  candidates  shall 
be  printed  straight  across  the  face  of  the 
ballots  in  black  ink,  and  in  type  of  uniform 
size  and  style,  except  that  the  name  of  the 
party  issuing  the  ballot  shall  be  in  larget 


37 


type  than  that  used  for  printing  the  titles 
of  the  officers  and  the  names  of  the  can- 
didates, the  size  and  style  of  which  shall 
be  the  same  on  all  ballots,  and  shall  be 
prescribed  by  the  secretary  of  state  not  less 
than  thirty  nor  more  than  sixty  days  be- 
fore any  election  held  under  these  pro- 
visions. Whenever  paper  shall  be  furnished 
to  any  party  as  herein  provided,  the  sec- 
retary shall  deliver,  with  such  paper, 
printed  instructions  prescribing  the  size  of 
type  to  be  used.  The  secretary  shall  cause 
blanks  to  be  prepared,  and  shall  cause  to 
be  printed  on  the  back  of  each  blank  ballot 
the  words,  "  official  ballot."  No  person 
shall  print  upon  any  official  ballot  the  name 
of  any  person  not  a  candidate  of  the  party 
whose  name  is  printed  at  the  head  of  said 
ballot,  nor  shall  any  person  give  or  offer 
to  give  any  elector  a  ballot  upon  which  the 
name  of  a  candidate  is  pasted  over  the 
name  of  another  candidate  without  inform- 
ing him  that  such  ballot  has  been  changed. 
Said  secretary  shall  also  prescribe  the  form 
and  style  of  ballots  on  constitutional 
amendments  and  for  educational  purposes. 


§  1633.     Ballots;  how  procured.     The 

secretary  shall  furnish  to  such  persons  as 
may  apply  for  the  same  such  number  of 
said  official  blank  ballots  as  may  be  applied 
for,  upon  payment  of  the  cost  thereof. 


38 


§  i634»  As  amended  by  Chap.  45, 
Public  Acts,  1903.  Secretary  to  furnish 
envelopes;    form;    notice    to    secretary. 

The  secretary  shall  furnish  in  pack- 
ages of  not  more  than  fifty  envelopes 
in  each  package,  securely  fastened  and 
sealed,  with  a  facsimile  of  the  seal 
of  the  state  stamped  thereon,  to  the 
town  clerk  of  each  town  in  the  state,  and 
in  case  of  city  or  borough  elections  to  the 
city  or  borough  clerk,  at  least  five  days  be- 
fore each  regular  election  held  under  the 
provisions  of  this  chapter,  one  hundred  and 
twenty-five  envelopes  for  every  one  hun- 
dred names  on  the  registry  list  of  such 
town,  city,  or  borough.  Said  envelopes 
shall  not  be  less  than  three  inches  in  width, 
nor  less  than  five  inches  in  length;  and 
they  shall  be  uniform  in  color  and  size,  self- 
sealing,  and  shall  have  stamped  or  printed 
upon  their  face  a  facsimile  of  the  seal  of 
the  state,  and  the  date  of  the  election  ac 
which  such  envelopes  are  to  be  used  above 
the  same,  and  such  envelopes  shall  not  be 
used  at  any  other  election  than  the  election 
held  upon  the  date  so  stamped  or  printed 
thereon.  Whenever  any  city,  borough,  or 
special  election  is  to  be  held  under  the  pro- 
visions hereof,  the  clerk  of  the  city, 
borough,  or  town  in  which  such  election  is 
to  be  held  shall,  not  less  than  ten  days  be- 
fore the  date  of  such  election,  notify  the 
secretary  of  the  date  of  such  election  and 


39 


the  number  of  names  on  the  registry  list 
last  perfected  in  such  city,  borough,  or 
town,  and  the  secretary  shall  immediately 
prepare  and  forward  the  necessary  number 
of  envelopes,  with  the  proper  date  thereon. 

§  1635.  Duties  of  town  and  other 
clerks.  The  town  clerk,  and,  in  the  case  of 
city  or  borough  elections,  the  city  or 
borough  clerk,  in  case  envelopes  are  not 
received  from  the  secretary,  as  provided 
in  section  1634,  at  least  three  days,  Sundays 
not  included,  prior  to  the  day  of  election, 
shall  forthwith  send  a  special  messenger 
for  said  envelopes,  and  said  clerk  shall  de- 
liver to  the  envelope  booth  tenders,  at 
least  thirty  minutes  before  the  opening  of 
the  polls,  for  any  election  held  under  the 
provisions  hereof,  in  sealed  and  unbroken 
packages,  the  official  envelopes  as  received 
by  him  from  the  secretary  as  aforesaid. 
At  the  close  of  every  such  election  it  shall 
be  the  duty  of  the  envelope  booth  tenders 
to  return  to  the  town,  city,  or  borough 
clerk  all  official  envelopes  remaining  in 
their  possession,  and  all  mutilated  envel- 
opes which  may  have  been  returned  to 
them,  together  with  a  statement  of  the 
number  of  envelopes  received  by  them,  the 
number  issued,  and  the  number  returned; 
and  on  or  before  the  expiration  of  thirty 
days  from  the  date  of  the  election  the  town 
clerk,  and,  in  case  of  city  or  borough  elec- 
40 


tions,  the  city  or  borough  clerk,  shall 
destroy  such  mutilated  and  unused  envel- 
opes, and  make  a  sworn  statement  to  the 
secretary  of  state  of  the  number  so 
destroyed. 

§  1636.  Election  officers  to  be  sworn. 
All  election  officers  shall  be  duly  sworn 
to  the  faithful  performance  of  their  duties, 
and  the  several  moderators  and  registrars 
may  administer  such  oaths. 

§  1637.  Warning  of  electors'  meet- 
ings. The  town  clerk  or  assistant  town 
clerk  of  each  town,  except  the  towns  of 
Derby  and  Bridgeport,  and  in  said  Derby 
the  mayor  of  the  city  of  Derby  and  in 
said  Bridgeport  the  mayor  of  the  city  of 
Bridgeport,  shall  warn  the  electors  therein 
to  meet  on  the  Tuesday  following  the  first 
Monday  in  November  in  the  year  1902, 
and  biennially  thereafter,  in  Hartford,  New 
Haven,  Waterbury,  Bridgeport,  and  Nor- 
walk,  at  six  o'clock,  and  in  all  other  towns, 
unless  by  them  otherwise  previously  or- 
dered, at  nine  o'clock  in  the  forenoon ; 
which  warning  shall  be  given  at  least  five 
days  previous  to  said  meetings  by  posting 
notice  thereof  on  the  signposts  of 
the  town,  and  in  such  other  places 
as  such  town  shall  have  ordered;  and 
such  meetings  shall  be  held  at  the 
usual    place    or    places    of    holding    elec- 

41 


tions  in  such  town,  or  the  voting  districts 
thereof,  as  the  case  may  be,  unless  the 
selectmen,  by  writing  under  their  hands, 
shall  have  designated  to  such  clerk  before 
said  notice  a  different  place  or  places  for 
holding  such  meetings;  and  the  clerk  in 
every  town  shall,  in  the  warnings  for  such 
electors'  meetings,  give  notice  of  the  time 
and  place  in  the  town,  and,  in  towns 
divided  into  voting  districts,  of  the  time 
and  place  in  each  district,  at  which  such 
meetings  will  be  held,  and  that  ballot  boxes 
will  be  opened  at  each  of  said  places;  and 
a  true  and  attested  copy  of  said  warning, 
shall,  by  the  person  who  served  the  same, 
be  left  with  the  town  clerk  of  his  town  on 
or  before  the  day  such  meeting  is  to  be 
held;  and  the  town  clerk  shall  record  said 
warning  in  a  book  kept  for  that  purpose. 

§  1638.  Voting  places  to  be  provided. 
The  selectmen  of  each  town,  unless  by  law 
otherwise  specially  provided,  shall  provide 
a  suitable  place  in  the  town,  and  if  the 
town  be  divided  into  voting  districts,  a 
suitable  place  in  each  district,  for  voting 
at  each  electors'  meeting,  and  shall  give 
public  notice  thereof  at  least  one  week 
before  the  day  of  such  meeting,  but  the 
selectmen  of  Meriden  may  provide  a  suit- 
able place  in  the  town  hall  building  in 
said  town  for  the  electors  of  the  fourth 
district  in  said  town,  for  voting  at  each 
electors'  meeting. 

42 


§  1 639.  Selectmen  to  provide  suitable 
rooms  or  booths.  The  selectmen  of  each 
town,  unless  otherwise  specially  provided, 
shall  provide  a  suitable  room  or  rooms  or 
booths  for  holding  all  elections  specified 
in  this  chapter,  and  all  ballot  boxes  re- 
quired hereby.  The  number  of  rooms  or 
booths  shall  be  one  for  each  one  hundred 
and  fifty  names  on  the  registry  list  of  the 
town,  except  that  in  towns  having  fifteen 
hundred  names  on  said  list  there  shall  be 
one  for  each  two  hundred  and  fifty  names. 
Such  rooms  or  booths  shall  be  supplied 
with  necessary  conveniences  for  electors 
to  arrangs  their  ballots  and  place  them  in 
the  envelopes,  but  shall  not  contain  any 
ballots  or  pasters.  The  interior  of  the 
rooms  or  booths  shall  be  secure  from  out- 
side observation,  and  said  rooms  or  booths 
shall  be  located  in,  or  connected  with,  the 
room  where  the  ballot  box  shall  be  sta- 
tioned. Every  ballot  box  shall  have  an 
aperture  in  its  lid,  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
positing the  ballots,  and  be  so  constructed 
that  when  the  voting  is  completed,  the 
aperture  may  be  closed  so  that  no  ballots 
can  afterwards  be  put  into  the  box  without 
reopening  it.  Such  boxes  shall  be  marked 
respectively  as  "general  ticket"  and 
"women's  ballots,"  to  indicate  the  vote  to 
be  deposited. 

§  1640.  Envelopes  and  ballot  booths; 
indorsement  of  envelopes.   The  selectmen 

43 


of  each  town,  unless  otherwise  provided  by 
special  act,  shall  provide,  at  the  entrance 
into  the  enclosure  prescribed  by  the  pro- 
visions of  section  1639,  an  envelope  booth 
and  a  ballot  booth  at  which  the  voter  may 
obtain  ballots  of  any  political  party  that  he 
may  desire.  Each  booth  shall  be  in  charge 
of  two  persons  not  of  the  same  political 
party,  who  shall  be  appointed  by  the  reg- 
istrars, and  who  shall  deliver  to  each 
elector,  as  he  enters  the  enclosure  pre- 
scribed by  section  1639,  one  official  en- 
velope and  no  more;  but  in  case  any 
elector  shall  so  deface  or  injure  such  en- 
velope as  to  render  it  unfit  for  use,  upon 
returning  said  envelope-  to  such  booth 
tenders,  said  tenders  shall  furnish  him  with 
another  official  envelope.  No  official  en- 
velope shall  be  delivered  to  any  elector 
until  said  envelope  shall  be  indorsed  by 
both  of  the  persons  in  charge  of  the  envel- 
ope booth  at  the  time  by  writing  thereon 
their  respective  names.  No  envelope  not 
so  indorsed  shall  be  received  by  the  box 
tenders,  and  each  box  tender,  before  de- 
positing any  envelope  in  the  ballot  box, 
shall  observe  and  see  that  the  same  is 
an  official  envelope,  and  that  it  is  sealed, 
and  is  indorsed  with  the  names  of  said 
envelope  booth  tenders. 

§  1641.    Arrangement  of  voting  place; 
who  admitted;  offer  of  ballot.    The  ballot 

44 


box  at  all  elections  held  under  the  pro- 
visions of  this  chapter  shall  be  open  for 
the  reception  of  votes  in  an  enclosure  which 
shall  be  so  arranged  that  access  to  it  shall 
be  from  the  room  or  rooms,  booth  or 
booths,  in  which  the  electors  shall  prepare 
their  ballots  and  place  them  in  the  en- 
velopes. The  exit  from  such  enclosure 
shall  be  into  some  other  enclosure  or  hall, 
or  into  a  public  street  or  square,  and  the 
partition  separating  it  from  the  main  hall 
shall  not  be  less  than  three  feet  nor  more 
than  four  feet  in  height.  No  person  shall 
be  allowed  to  remain  in  the  enclosure  where 
the  ballot  box  is  placed,  -at  any  meeting 
held  under  the  provisions  of  this  chapter, 
except  for  the  purpose  of  depositing  the 
envelope  which  contains  his  ballots,  unless 
he  be  a  duly  appointed  moderator,  box 
tender,  registrar,  checker,  or  challenger; 
provided,  there  shall  be  not  more  than  one 
challenger  for  each  political  party.  No 
person,  except  those  authorized  to  remain 
in  the  enclosure  where  the  ballot  box  is 
placed,  shall  be  permitted  to  enter  the 
same,  except  for  the  purpose  of  depositing 
a  ballot.  The  moderator  may  admit  into 
the  enclosure  where  the  ballot  box  is  placed 
any  witnesses  that  may  be  required  in 
cases  of  challenge,  but  only  one  at  a  time, 
and  also  such  peace  officers  as  may  be  re- 
quired, but  only  when  actually  required  to 
preserve  order  or  enforce  any  of  the  pro- 

45 


visions  hereof.  No  person  shall  give  or 
offer  to  any  elector,  in  any  such  room  or 
booth,  any  ballot,  paster,  or  envelope  to  be 
used  in  voting,  or  place  any  ballots  or 
pasters  in  said  room  or  booth  for  the  use 
of  electors,  or  for  any  purpose  whatso- 
ever. 

§  1642.  Moderators  of  electors'  meet- 
ings. The  registrars  of  voters  in  the  sev- 
eral towns,  and  in  towns  where  there  are 
different  registrars  for  different  voting  dis- 
tricts, the  registrars  of  voters  in  such  dis- 
tricts, shall  appoint  the  moderators  of  the 
meetings  of  electors  in  their  respective 
towns  or  districts.  In  case  the  registrars 
shall  fail  to  agree  in  the  choice  of  a  mod- 
erator, the  choice  shall  be  determined  be- 
tween them  by  lot,  and  in  like  manner  they 
shall  appoint  the  moderators  to  have  charge 
of  any  vote  by  ballot  in  town  meetings  for 
the  election  of  officers,  and  of  any  vote  by 
ballot  in  any  city  meeting  or  ward  meet- 
ing for  election  of  officers. 

§  1643.  Box  tenders.  At  every  electors' 
meeting  and  at  every  election  of  town,  city, 
or  ward  officers  by  ballot,  the  registrars  of 
each  town  or  district,  as  the  case  may  be, 
shall  appoint  a  suitable  elector  residing 
therein  for  each  ballot  box,  to  be  box 
tender,  and  one  or  two  others,  as  may  be 
necessary,  to  be  sitbstitute  box  tenders  for 

46 


each  box  respectively.  No  person  not  so 
appointed  shall  have  charge  of  any  ballot 
box  during  the  taking  of  any  vote,  and  no 
known  candidate  for  any  office  shall  be 
moderator,  or  be  put  in  charge  of  any  box 
in  which  votes  are  cast  for  said  office,  or 
take  part  in  the  count  thereof,  except  that 
candidates  for  registrar  of  voters  may  act 
as  counters  of  votes  cast  in  elections  of 
town  officers.  Any  candidate  who  shall 
violate  any  provision  of  this  section  shall 
be  fined  not  more  than  five  hundred  dollars. 


§  1644.  Declaration  of  result,  and 
returns  to  secretary.  In  the  town  and  city 
of  Hartford,  the  moderator  of  the  fifth 
voting  district,  and  in  the  towns  of  En- 
field and  Plymouth,  the  moderator  of  the 
second  voting  district,  and  in  the  towns  of 
Waterbury  and  New  London,  the  modera- 
tor of  the  third  voting  district,  and  in 
every  other  town  and  city  divided  into 
voting  districts,  unless  otherwise  provided 
by  special  statute,  the  moderator  of  the  first 
district  shall  be  the  presiding  officer  for 
the  purpose  of  declaring  the  result  of  the 
ballot  of  the  whole  town  or  city,  and  of 
making  returns  to  the  secretary  of  state, 
and  the  moderators  of  the  other  districts 
shall  be  assistant  presiding  officers  and 
shall  make  returns  of  their  polls  as  re- 
quired by  law. 

47 


§  i645«  Challenges.  Each  registrar  may 
appoint  one  or  more  challengers  in  his 
town  or  district,  one  of  whom  may  be 
.  present  at  the  offering  of  any  vote;  and 
any  such  challenger,  or  any  elector,  may 
challenge  the  right  of  any  person  offering 
to  vote,  on  the  ground  of  want  of  identity 
with  the  person  on  whose  name  the  vote 
is  offered,  or  disfranchisement,  or  discon- 
tinuance of  his  residence  since  registration, 
and  the  moderator  shall  decide  upon  the 
right  of  the  person  so  challenged  to  vote. 

§  1646.  Ballot  boxes,  when  open; 
ballots,  how  offered.  The  ballot  boxes  at 
the  electors'  meetings  shall  be  open  for  the 
reception  of  votes  at  the  place  and  from  the 
hour  at  which  said  meeting  is  warned,  until 
five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  when  they  shall 
be  closed;  provided,  that  the  ballot  boxes 
may  be  closed  in  any  voting  district  at  an 
earlier  hour  than  five,  when  so  authorized 
by  special  enactment  of  the  general  assem- 
bly. The  moderators  shall  place  the  ballot 
boxes  before  said  box  tenders,  in  a  situa- 
tion convenient  of  access  by  the  electors, 
and  publicly  call  upon  the  electors  to  bring 
in  their  ballots .  for  such  officers  as  are  to 
t>e  voted  for.  The  voters  shall,  under  the 
direction  of  the  moderators  in  their  re- 
spective towns  or  districts,  lay  the  envel- 
opes with  ballot  enclosed,  one  at  a  time, 
on  the  lids  of  the  respective  boxes,  when 

48 


the  box  tenders  shall,  after  the  voter's 
name  is  found  and  checked  on  the  registry- 
list,  and  when  any  challenge  of  the  vote 
has  been  decided  in  his  favor,  and  not  be- 
fore, put  it  into  the  box. 


§  1647.  Who  may  vote,  at  electors*  and 
city  meetings.  At  any  electors'  meeting, 
and  at  any  city  meeting  for  the  election  of 
officers  by  ballot,  those  only  shall  vote  who 
were  registered  on  the  revised  registry  list 
then  last  completed  according  to  law,  and 
each  shall  vote  in  tht  district  in  which  he 
was  so  registered;  provided,  also,  that 
those  persons  may  vote  whose  names  are 
restored  to  the  list  under  the  provisions  of 
section  1613  and  those  whose  names  are 
added  on  the  day  before  the  electors'  meet- 
ing under  the  provisions  of  section  1620. 
Every  person  so  registered  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  vote,  unless  he  shall  have  lost 
his  right  by  removal  from  the  town  after 
such  registration,  or  by  conviction  of  some 
crime  which  disfranchises ;  and  every  per- 
son offering  so  to  vote,  and  being  chal- 
lenged as  to  his  identity  or  residence,  shall, 
before  he  votes,  prove  his  identity  with 
the  person  on  whose  name  he  offers  to 
vote,  or  his  continued  residence  in  such 
town  since  the  completion  of  such  list, 
as  the  case  may  be,  by  the  testimony,  under 
oath,  of  at  least  one  other  elector. 

49 


§  1648.  Officers  on  one  ballot.  Votes 
cast  for  electors  of  president  and  vice- 
president,  governor,  lieutenant-governor, 
secretary,  treasurer,  comptroller,  attorney- 
general,  representative  at  large,  representa- 
tive in  congress,  senator,  sheriff,  and  judge 
of  probate,  or  so  many  thereof  as  shall  be 
voted  for  at  one  and  the  same  election, 
shall  be  on  one  ballot,  which  ballot  shall 
be  eight  inches  long  by  five  inches  wide. 
Votes  cast  for  representatives,  justices  of 
the  peace,  town,  city,  borough,  and  school 
officers,  or  so  many  thereof  as  shall  be 
voted  for  at  one  and  the  same  election,  shall 
be  on  one  ballot,  which  ballot  shall  be  six 
inches  long  by  five  and  one-half  inches 
wide. 

§  1649.  What  ballots  in  one  envelope; 
when  not  to  be  counted.  Each  elector 
may  place  in  the  envelope  received  by  him 
one  ballot  for  electors  of  president  and 
vice-president,  governor,  lieutenant-gover- 
nor, secretary,  treasurer,  comptroller,  at- 
torney-general, representative  at  large,  rep- 
resentative in  congress,  senator,  sheriff,  and 
judge  of  probate,  or  so  many  thereof  as 
shall  be  voted  for  at  one  and  the  same 
election,  and  one  ballot  for  representative 
or  representatives,  as  the  case  may  be, 
justices  of  the  peace,  town,  city,  borough, 
and  school  officers,  or  so  many  thereof  as 
shall  be  voted  for  at  one  and  the  same 
50 


election,  and  one  vote  for  the  approval  or 
disapproval  of  any  constitutional  amend- 
ment submitted  for  ratification  at  said 
election,  and  one  vote  for  or  against  any 
educational  purpose  under  the  special  laws 
of  this  state ;  but  no  elector  shall  place\  any 
ballot  in  any  envelope  when  he  is  outside 
of  one  of  the  rooms  or  booths  provided 
for  by  section  1639,  and  before  leaving  that 
room  or  booth,  and  before  entering  the 
room  or  enclosure  where  the  ballot  box  is 
placed,  he  shall  securely  seal  the  envelope 
in  which  he  has  placed  his  ballot  or  ballots. 
The  moderator  in  charge  of  any  electors' 
meeting,  or  the  box  tender  in  charge  of 
the  ballot  box  at  such  elections,  if  any 
elector  shall  attempt  to  place  a  ballot  or 
ballots  in  the  envelope  outside  of  said 
booth,  or  if  any  elector  shall  leave  his  en- 
velope unsealed,  shall  direct  such  elector 
to  return  to  said  booth  for  the  purpose  of 
placing  his  ballot  or  ballots  in  said  en- 
velope or  sealing  the  same.  If  any  ballot 
shall  contain  a  greater  number  of  names 
for  any  office  than  is  provided  by  law,  it 
shall  not  be  counted  for  any  person  for 
such  office;  any  ballot  contained  in  an  en- 
velope not  properly  indorsed  shall  not  be 
counted.  If  more  than  one  ballot  for  the 
same  office  or  purpose  shall  be  found  in 
any  envelope,  and  such  ballots  shall  be  for 
the  same  person  or  purpose,  only  one  shall 
be  counted.     And  if  such  ballots  shall  be 


Si 


for  different  persons  for  the  same  office, 
or  for  and  against  the  same  purpose,  neither 
of  such  ballots  shall  be  counted;  votes  cast 
for  "  representative  at  large "  shall  not  be 
counted  for  a  candidate  for  representative 
in  congress,  nor  shall  votes  cast  for  repre- 
sentative in  congress  be  counted  for  a  can- 
didate for  representative  at  large,  but  all 
ballots  or  votes  contained  in  such  envelope, 
not  found  double,  shall  be  counted  for  the 
persons  named  thereon,  or  for  the  object 
voted  on,  and  all  such  double  ballots  so  re- 
jected, whether  for  the  same  or  different 
political  parties  or  purposes,  shall  be  re- 
turned as  rejected  for  being  double  ballots. 
If  any  envelope  or  ballot  shall  contain  any 
mark  or  device  so  that  the  same  may  be 
identified  in  such  a  manner  as  to  indicate 
who  might  have  cast  the  same,  the  ballot 
so  marked,  the  ballot  with  paster  so 
marked,  or  the  ballot  contained  in  any  en- 
velope so  marked,  shall  not  be  counted,  but 
shall  be  kept  by  the  moderator  and  re- 
turned to  the  town  clerk  in  a  separate 
package  from  the  ballots  which  are  counted 
at  such  election. 

§  1650.  Booth  tenders'  duties;  en- 
velopes deposited  or  returned.  The  reg- 
istrars of  each  town  shall  designate  and 
appoint  two  persons  to  serve  during  the 
hours  the  polls  shall  be  open,  who  shall 
have  charge  of  the  rooms  or  booths  pro- 

52 


vided  for  by  section  1639.  Only  one  elect- 
or at  a  time  shall  be  permitted  to  enter  the 
same  room  or  booth  to  prepare  his  ballot 
[unless  the  elector  from  physical  infirmity 
requires  an  attendant],  and  enclose  it  in 
an  envelope,  and  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the 
person  having  charge  of  said  rooms  or 
booths  to  see  that  the  space  is  vacant  be- 
fore admitting  an  elector,  and  no  person, 
while  an  elector  is  in  said  room  or  booth, 
shall  attempt  to  ascertain  or  observe  the 
ballot  or  ballots  placed  by  such  elector  in 
the  official  envelope,  and  no  elector  shall 
remain  in  the  room  or  booth  while  pre- 
paring his  ballot  more  than  three  minutes, 
and  he  shall  then  pass  out  and  into  the 
enclosure  where  the  ballot  box  is  placed, 
and,  under  the  direction  of  the  moderator, 
he  shall  deposit  his  sealed  envelope  on  the 
ballot  box.  After  the  name  of  the  elector 
has  been  duly  checked,  it  shall  be  the  duty 
of  the  box  tender  to  deposit  the  envelope 
in  the  ballot  box.  Every  person  who  has 
received  an  official  envelope  from  the  of- 
ficial envelope  booth  tenders,  and  who. 
having  passed  into  the  enclosure  where  said 
ballot  boxes  are  placed,  shall  fail  to  de- 
posit the  same  upon  the  ballot  box  as  pre- 
scribed by  law,  shall  immediately,  and  be- 
fore leaving  said  room,  deliver  up  the  same 
to  the  moderator;  and  any  person  having 
received  an  official  envelope  from  said  of- 
ficial envelope  booth  tenders,  and  who  for 


53 


any  reason  shall  fail  to  pass  with  the  same 
into  the  room  in  which  said  ballot  boxes 
are,  shall,  immediately  and  before  leaving 
the  room  where  said  envelope  booth  tenders 
are,  return  the  same  to  said  envelope  booth 
tenders. 

§  1651.  As  amended  by  Chap.  241, 
Public  Acts,  1905.  Permitted  alteration; 
void  ballots.  Any  voter  may  alter  or  change 
his  ballot  by  erasing  any  name  thereon,  or 
by  inserting  in  place  of  any  name  thereon, 
in  writing  or  by  paster,  the  name  of  any 
person  for  any  office  to  be  voted  for  there- 
on, other  than  the  person  thereon  named 
for  such  office,  but  all  pasters  shall  be 
printed  upon  blank  paper,  of  a  color  other 
than  white,  to  be  designated  and  furnished 
by  the  secretary  of  the  state  to  such  persons 
as  shall  apply  for  the  same  upon  payment 
of  the  cost  thereof.  All  ballots  cast  in 
violation  of  the  foregoing  requirements, 
shall  be  void  and  not  counted,  but  no  bal- 
lot shall  be  rejected  for  being  in  an  un- 
sealed envelope  if  such  envelope  shows  that 
an  attempt  has  been  made  to  seal  the  same. 

§  1652.     Interference    prohibited.     No 

official,  or  other  person,  at  any  election  pro- 
vided for  in  this  chapter,  shall  in  the  en- 
closure where  the  ballot  box  is  placed,  or 
in  the  rooms  or  booths  herein  mentioned 
suggest  the  name  of  any  political  party  or 

54 


candidate  for  any  office  to  any  elector.  No 
person  shall  assist  or  offer  fo  assist  any 
elector  in  the  preparation  of  his  ballot, 
paster,  or  envelope  to  be  used  in  voting, 
unless  requested  thereto  by  the  elector  be- 
cause of  a  physical  infirmity  necessitating 
assistance. 

§  1653.  Peddling  ballots;  distance 
markers.  No  person  shall  peddle  or  offer 
any  ballot  or  paster  to  another  person  with- 
in seventy-five  feet  of  the  entrance  to  any 
polling  place  on  the  day  of  election,  except 
as  provided  in  section  1650.  The  select- 
men shall  provide  suitable  markers  to  in- 
dicate the  seventy-five  feet  distance  from 
such  entrance;  said  markers  shall  consist 
of  a  board  resting  on  an  iron  rod,  said 
board  being  not  less  than  twelve  inches 
square  and  painted  a  bright  color,  upon 
which  shall  be  placed  the  figures  and  let- 
ters, "  75  feet,"  and  the  following  words : 

No  person  shall  peddle  or  offer  any 
ballot  to  another  person  within  75  feet 
of  any  entrance  to  any  polling  place  on 
the  day  of  election,  except  the  official 
ballot  booth  tenders  in  charge  of  the 
official  ballots  at  each  polling  place. 
The  moderator   and  his   assistants   shall 
meet   at   least   twenty   minutes   before   the 
opening  of  an  election  in  the  polling  dis- 
trict,  and   shall   cause   to   be   placed   by   a 
police  officer  or   constable,   or   such   other 

55 


election  official  as  he  may  select,  a  suitable 
number  of  distance  markers.  Said  mod- 
erator or  police  officer  or  constable  shall 
prohibit  loitering  and  peddling  of  tickets 
within  that  distance. 

§  1654.  Registrars  to  be  present  at 
voting;  duties  of  checkers.  Each  registrar 
shall  be  present  during  the  taking  of  any 
vote  at  any  electors'  meeting,  or  annual 
town  meeting  or  city  or  borough  election 
in  his  town  or  district.  The  assistants  in 
their  respective  districts  shall,  when  re- 
quested by  either  registrar,  be  present  at 
the  taking  of  any  such  vote,  and  discharge 
the  duties  of  registrars.  The  several  regis- 
trars shall  appoint  some  proper  person  to 
check  the  list  in  each  district,  who  shall 
check  the  name  of  each  voter  thereon,  when 
he  offers  his  vote,  and  no  box  tender  shall 
suffer  any  vote  to  be  deposited  in  the  box 
until  the  name  is  so  checked. 

§  1655.  Certificate  of  check  lists.  Im- 
mediately after  the  polls  are  closed  the 
official  checkers  shall  make  and  deliver  to 
the  moderator  a  certificate  in  duplicate  stat- 
ing the  whole  number  of  names  on  the 
registry  list  and  the  number  checked  as 
having  voted,  and  thereupon  said  registrars, 
acting  at  the  respective  polls,  shall  write 
and  sign  with  ink,  on  the  list  so  used  and 
checked,  a  certificate  of  the  whole  number 

56 


of  names  registered  thereon,  the  number 
checked  as  having  voted,  and  the  number 
not  checked  thereon,  and  deposit  it  in  the 
town  clerk's  office  of  their  town  on  or 
before  the  following  day.  The  town  clerk 
shall  carefully  preserve  the  same  on  file, 
with  the  marks  on  it  without  alteration,  for 
public  inspection,  and  shall  immediately 
enter  a  certified  copy  of  such  certificates 
on  the  town  records. 

§  1656.  Counters;  certificates;  declara- 
tion of  vote.  At  every  election  specified  in 
the  preceding  sections  of  this  chapter,  each 
registrar  shall  appoint  from  one  to  five 
persons,  as  may  be  necessary,  for  each 
ballot  box  in  his  district  or  town,  who  shall 
make  the  official  count  of  the  ballots  in 
said  box.  Immediately  after  the  ballot 
boxes  are  closed  at  such  meeting,  and  not 
before,  the  counters  shall,  in  public  meet- 
ing, sort  and  count  the  ballots  found  there- 
in. In  case  of  doubt  or  dispute  as  to  the 
reading  of  a  ballot,  or  whether  a  ballot 
should  be  rejected  for  any  cause,  the  mode- 
rator shall  decide.  All  ballots  rejected 
shall,  after  being  indorsed  by  the  moderator 
with  the  cause  of  rejection,  be  preserved  in 
a  separate  parcel,  securely  tied  or  sealed, 
and  returned  to  the  box  with  the  valid 
votes.  The  official  counters  at  any  elect- 
ors' meeting,  immediately  after  the  count 
is   completed,   shall,   under  their   hands   or 

57 


the  hands  of  a  majority  of  them,  deliver 
to  the  moderator  a  certificate  in  duplicate, 
stating  the  whole  number  of  envelopes 
found  in  the  box,  and  in  case  more  than 
one  box  was  used,  the  number  found  in 
each  box,  the  number  of  ballots  found  in 
such  envelopes,  giving,  when  more  than 
one  form  of  ballot  could  be  voted  in  one 
envelope,  the  number  of  each  kind  of  bal- 
lots, the  number  of  unsealed  envelopes,  and 
the  number  of  ballots  rejected  for  that 
cause,  stating  the  kind  of  ballots  so  re- 
jected, if  more  than  one  ballot  might  legal- 
ly be  voted  in  one  envelope,  the  number  of 
envelopes  having  identifying  marks  or  de- 
vices, and  the  number  and  kind  of  ballots 
rejected  for  that  cause,  the  number  of  en- 
velopes not  indorsed  by  the  booth  tenders, 
and  the  number  and  kind  of  ballots  rejected 
for  that  cause,  the  number  of  ballots  re- 
jected because  in  the  wrong  box,  "for  be- 
ing double,"  for  bearing  identifying  marks 
or  devices,  for  being  unofficial,  or  for  any 
other  cause,  and  the  number  of  votes 
counted  for  each  candidate  and  office  re- 
spectively. The  moderator  shall,  before  ad- 
journment, publicly  declare  the  result  of 
the  count. 

§  1657.  Official  certificates  where  de- 
posited. The  moderator  shall  forthwith  in- 
dorse on  said  certificates,  in  writing  signed 
by  him,  that  said  certificates  show  the  re- 

58 


suit  of  the  official  count  for  each  box,  re- 
spectively, in  his  town  or  district.  One  of 
said  certificates  he  shall  place  in  the  ballot 
box  and  seal  up  with  the  votes  cast  and  re- 
turned to  that  box;  the  other,  in  towns 
not  divided  into  voting  districts,  shall  by 
the  moderator,  on  or  before  the  following 
day,  be  deposited  in  the  office  of  the  town 
clerk,  and,  in  towns  divided  into  voting  dis- 
tricts, shall  by  the  assistant  presiding  of- 
ficers forthwith  be  returned  to  the  presid- 
ing officer,  who  shall,  on  or  before  the  fol- 
lowing day,  deposit  the  same,  with  his  own 
duplicate  certificate,  for  his  district,  with 
the  town  clerk,  who  shall  carefully  preserve 
the  same  on  file  in  his  office.  The  presid- 
ing officer,  after  having  ascertained  the 
result  of  the  ballots  of  the  whole  town,  as 
given  in  the  several  districts,  shall  declare 
the  same  in  open  meeting,  at  the  voting 
place  where  he  presides,  and  such  meeting 
shall  not  be  adjourned  until  such  vote  is 
declared. 

§  1658.  Deputy  or  assistant  registrars 
may  act.  In  the  absence  of  either  registrar, 
his  deputy  or  any  of  his  assistants  shall 
have  all  the  powers  conferred,  and  may 
perform  any  of  the  duties  imposed  upon 
such  registrar,  by  any  of  the  provisions  of 
this  or  the  preceding  chapter. 

§  1659.  Return  of  ballots  to  box;  seal- 
ing.   All  the  ballots   cast  at   any  electors* 

59 


meeting,  or  at  any  city  or  borough  election, 
shall  by  the  moderator,  immediately  after 
they  are  counted,  be  returned  to  the  box, 
which  shall,  in  the  presence  of  two  or  more 
of  the  official  counters,  and  before  the  box 
has  been  removed  from  the  enclosure  where 
the  ballots  have  been  counted,  be,  by  said 
moderator,  securely  sealed  and  locked,  and 
such  official  counters  as  are  present  shall 
indorse  their  initials  upon  the  seals ;  the 
box  shall  thereupon,  by  said  moderator,  be 
deposited  in  the  town  clerk's  office,  and  by 
such  clerk  be  carefully  preserved  with  seal 
unbroken  for  six  months  after  such  meet- 
ing, to  be  opened  and  examined  only  by 
those  officially  authorized  thereto. 

CHAPTER  192. 

An  Act  Concerning  the   Sealing  of  Ballot 
Boxes. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 

Representatives  in  General  Assembly 

convened: 

Section    1.     The   secretary   of   the   state 

shall,  at  the  time  when  he  distributes  the 

official  envelopes  for  any  regular  election, 

furnish    to    every    town,    city,    or   borough 

clerk  to  whom  envelopes  are  so  distributed, 

one  adi/esive  ballot  box  sealing  stamp  for 

each  ballot  box  to  be  used  in  such  election, 

which  stamp  shall  be  of  cloth-lined  paper, 

60 


and  shall  not  be  less  than  five  and  one- 
fourth  inches  in  width  by  thirty-two  inches 
in  length,  and  upon  the  face  of  which  shall 
be  printed  a  facsimile  of  the  seal  of  state, 
and  the  date  of  the  election. 

Sec.  2.  When  the  ballots  shall  have  been 
counted  and  returned  to  the  ballot  box  and 
the  box  locked  as  required  by  law,  said 
ballot  box  sealing  stamp  shall  be  signed  by 
the  registrars  or  deputies  of  different  part- 
ies, and  by  the  moderator,  and  the  mod- 
erator shall  apply  said  stamp  securely  to 
each  ballot  box  so  as  to  effectually  seal 
the  opening  through  which  the  ballots  are 
deposited  and  also  the  key  hole  of  each  of 
said  ballot  boxes  and  so  that  said  boxes 
cannot  be  opened  without  breaking  the 
ballot  box   sealing  stamp. 

Sec.  3.  The  clerk  of  every  town,  city,  or 
borough  in  which  an  election  is  to  be  held 
shall  notify  the  secretary  of  the  state,  at  the 
time  the  notice  required  by  section  1634  of 
the  general  statutes  is  sent  by  such  clerk, 
the  number  of  ballot  boxes  to  be  used  in 
such  town,  city,  or  borough  in  said  elec- 
tion. * 

Sec.  4.  All  acts  and  parts  of  acts  incon- 
sistent herewith  are  hereby  repealed. 

Approved  June  29,  1905. 

§  1660.     Judge  to  preserve  ballots  in- 
tact.   Whenever  any  ballot  box  is  opened 
under  authority  of  a  judge  of  the  superior 
61 


court,  charged  with  inquiring  into  an  elec- 
tion, said  judge  shall  see  that  all  the  ballots 
and  the  accompanying  certificates  are  re- 
turned to  the  box,  and  that  the  same  is 
effectually  sealed. 

§  1661.  Ballot  box  for  women's  bal- 
lots. At  all  elections  at  which  women  are 
by  law  entitled  to  vote  there  shall  be  pro- 
vided separate  ballots  containing,  in  addi- 
tion to  the  name  of  the  party  issuing  the 
same,  only  the  names  of  candidates  and 
titles  of  officers  for  which  women  are  en- 
titled to  vote,  and  there  shall  be  provided 
at  such  elections  a  separate  ballot  box,  dis- 
tinctly marked  "  for  women's  ballots,"  in 
which  shall  be  deposited  all  ballots  cast  by 
women. 

§  1662.    Returns  by  presiding  officers. 

The  presiding  officer  of  each  electors'  meet- 
ing in  every  town  not  divided  into  voting 
districts,  and  each  presiding  officer  of  the 
first  district  in  all  towns  divided  into  vot- 
ing districts,  unless  othe/wise  provided  by 
special  statute,  except  the  towns  of  Hart- 
ford, Enfield,  Plymouth,  New  London,  and 
Waterbury,  the  presiding  officer  of  the  fifth 
district  of  Hartford,  the  presiding  officer  of 
the  second  district  of  Enfield,  the  presiding 
officer  of  the  second  district  of  Plymouth, 
and  the  presiding  officer  of  the  third  dis- 
trict of  Waterbury  and  New  London,  shall 
62 


make  out  triplicate  lists  of  the  votes  given 
in  their  respective  towns  for  each  of  the 
following  officers,  viz. :  governor,  lieutenant- 
governor,  secretary,  treasurer,  comptroller, 
attorney-general,  senator,  judge  of  probate, 
sheriff,  representative  at  large,  and  repre- 
sentative in  congress,  when  said  officers 
are  to  be  chosen;  also  of  the  votes  given 
for  representative  or  representatives  to  the 
general  assembly,  chosen  from  such  town, 
two  of  which  lists  he  shall  seal  and  de- 
posit in  the  post  office  in  said  town,  the 
postage  being  paid  thereon,  directed  to  the 
secretary  of  state  at  Hartford,  one  within 
two  days,  and  the  other  within  not  less 
than  five  nor  more  than  ten  days  after  said 
meeting;  and  the  third  he  shall  deliver  to 
the  clerk  of  said  town  within  two  days  after 
said  meeting. 

§  1663.     Envelope  and  ballot  returns. 

The  presiding  officer  of  every  electors' 
meeting  at  which  candidates  for  the  office 
of  presidential  electors,  governor,  lieuten- 
ant-governor, secretary,  treasurer,  comp- 
troller, attorney-general,  representative  at 
large,  representative  in  congress,  senator, 
sheriff,  or  judge  of  probate  are  voted  for, 
shall  make  out  and  return  to  the  secretary 
of  state,  with  the  certificates  that  he  is  re- 
quired to  send  to  said  secretary,  a  full 
statement  as  to  envelopes  and  ballots  as  re- 
turned to  him  by  the  checkers  and  count- 

63 


ers.  The  secretary  shall  enter  said  returns 
in  tabular  form,  in  books  kept  by  him  for 
that  purpose,  and  present  a  printed  report 
of  the  same  to  the  general  assembly  at  its 
next  session. 

§  1664.  Removal  of  officials.  If  at  any- 
time during  the  performance  of  his  duties 
any  counter,  booth  tender,  box  tender,  or 
checker  shall,  from  any  cause,  be  found 
incompetent,  said  registrars  may  remove 
him  and  appoint  a  competent  person  in  his 
stead. 


§  1665.  Forms  for  returns  to  be  sent  to 
town  clerks.  The  secretary  shall  transmit 
to  the  town  clerk  of  each  town,  before  each 
biennial  electors'  meeting,  blank  forms  for 
the  returns  required  by  this  chapter,  and 
said  returns  shall  be  made  out,  certified, 
and  directed  according  to  such  forms.  The 
secretary  shall  cause  to  be  printed  in  the 
several  blanks,  for  the  use  of  moderators 
and  counters,  such  names  of  candidates  for 
the  several  offices  to  be  voted  for  as  shall 
be  certified  to  him  by  the  chairmen  of  the 
state  committees  of  the  several  political  or- 
ganizations in  the  state. 


§  1666.     Choice   of   representatives   to 
the    general    assembly.     In    all    electors' 

64 


meetings  held  for  the  purpose  of  choosing 
representatives  to  the  general  assembly,  the 
presiding  officer  shall  declare  chosen  the 
person  having  the  greatest  number  of  votes 
for  that  office,  and  if  the  town  is  entitled  to 
two  representatives,  then  he  shall  declare 
chosen  the  two  persons  having  the  greatest 
number  of  votes  for  that  office. 


§  1667.  Representative;  tie  vote;  new 
election.-  If  the  electors  of  any  town  shall 
fail  to  choose  a  representative  or  repre- 
sentatives, by  reason  of  an  equality  of  votes 
at  any  electors'  meeting,  said  meeting  shall 
stand  adjourned  to  the  following  Tuesday 
at  the  same  hour  at  which  the  first  meeting 
was  held.  Official  ballots  and  envelopes 
shall  be  used  in  the  election  on  said  ad- 
journed day,  and  the  election  shall  be  con- 
ducted in  the  same  manner  as  on  the  first 
day,  except  that  ballots  shall  be  given  for 
such  officer  only,  and  returns  shall  be  made 
in  the  manner  before  provided. 

§  1668.  As  amended  by  Chap.  10,  Pub- 
lic Acts,  1903.  Representative,  vacancy, 
how  filled.  When  any  vacancy  shall  oc- 
cur in  the  office,  of  representative  from 
any  town  on  or  before  the  first  Tuesday  of 
April  succeeding  any  biennial  election,  the 
town  clerk  or  assistant  town  clerk  of  such 
town    shall    forthwith    warn    an    electors' 

65 


meeting  for  said  town  for  the  purpose  of 
electing  a  representative  to  fill  such  vac- 
ancy, which  meeting  shall  be  warned,  or- 
ganized, and  conducted  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  biennial  electors'  meetings  are  re- 
quired to  be.  The  registry  list  used  at  such 
meetings  shall  be  the  list  last  completed. 

§  1669.  Canvass  of  votes;  senators, 
probate  judges,  sheriffs.  The  votes  for 
senators,  judges  of  probate,  and  sheriffs,  as 
returned  by  the  presiding  officer,  shall  be 
canvassed  during  the  month  in  which  they 
are  cast,  by  the  treasurer,  secretary,  and 
comptroller,  and  they  shall  declare,  except 
in  case  of  a  tie  vote,  who  is  elected  senator 
in  each  senatorial  district,  judge  of  pro- 
bate in  each  probate  district,  and  sheriff 
in  each  county;  and  the  secretary  shall, 
within  three  days  after  such  declaration, 
give  notice  by  mail  to  each  person  chosen 
senator,  judge  of  probate,  or  sheriff,  of  his 
election. 

§  1670.    State  officers;  plurality.   In  the 

election  for  governor,  lieutenant-governor, 
secretary,  treasurer,  comptroller,  and  at- 
torney-general, the  persons  receiving  the 
highest  number  of  votes  shall  be  declared 
elected.  If  no  person  has  a  plurality  of 
the  votes  for  any  of  said  offices,  the  gen- 
eral assembly  shall  choose  said  officer. 
66 


§  1671.  Sheriffs,  senators,  probate 
judges;  plurality.  In  all  elections  for 
sheriffs,  senators,  and  judges  of  probate, 
the  person  having  the  greatest  number-  of 
votes  shall  be  declared  to  be  elected. 


§  1672.  Certain  state  offices,  vacancy 
how  filled.  If  the  office  of  secretary,  treas- 
urer, or  comptroller  shall  become  vacant, 
the  general  assembly,  if  in  session  when 
the  vacancy  occurs,  shall  fill  it;  but  if  the 
vacancy  occurs  when  the  general  assembly 
is  not  in  session,  or  if  the  general  assembly 
shall  fail  to  make  an  appointment  to  fill 
the  vacancy,  it  shall  be  filled  by  the  gov- 
ernor. 

§  1673.  Sheriff;  how  chosen  in  case 
of  tie.  If  in  any  county  two  or  more  per- 
sons shall  have  received  the  greatest  and 
an  equal  number  of  votes  for  sheriff,  the 
secretary,  treasurer,  and  comptroller  shall 
immediately  publish  such  fact,  with  the 
names  of  such  persons,  in  one  or  more 
newspapers  published  in  such  county;  and 
the  next  general  assembly  shall,  on  or  be- 
fore the  second  week  of  its  session,  choose 
one  of  said  persons  to  be  sheriff,  to  hold 
office  during  the  regular  term ;  but  if  either 
of  them  shall  have  died,  said  assembly 
may  choose  any  elector  of  such  county  to 
be  sheriff  for  said  county  during  said  term. 

67 


And  when  there  shall  be  a  vacancy  in  the 
office  of  sheriff  the  governor  shall  forth- 
with fill  it,  until  it  is  filled  by  the  general 
assembly. 

§  1674.  State  senator  vacancy.  When 
any  vacancy  shall  happen  in  the  office  of 
state  senator,  the  governor  shall  issue  writs 
of  election,  directed  to  those  officials  whose 
duty  it  shall  be  to  call  electors'  meetings 
in  the  several  towns  in  the  vacant  district, 
ordering  an  election  to  be  held  therein  on 
a  day  named  to  fill  such  vacancy,  and  cause 
them  to  be  conveyed  to  the  sheriff  of  the 
county  in  which  said  district  is  located, 
who  shall  forthwith  transmit  them  to  said 
officials,  who,  on  receiving  said  writs,  shall 
warn  electors'  meetings  to  be  held  on  the 
day  appointed  therein,  in  the  same  manner 
as  biennial  electors'  meetings  are  warned, 
which  meetings  shall  be  organized,  con- 
ducted, and  proceeded  with  as  biennial 
electors'  meetings ;  the  ballots  shall  be 
counted  and  the  vote  declared,  certified, 
directed,  deposited,  returned,  and  trans- 
mitted, in  the  same  manner  as  at  a  bien- 
nial electors'  meeting.  The  registry  lists 
to  be  used  at  such  elections  shall  be  the 
lists  then  last  completed. 

§  1675.     Probate  judge;  vacancy;  spe- 
cial election.   When  there  shall  be  no  elec- 
68 


tion  of  judge  of  probate  in  any  district,  by 
reason  of  two  or  more  having  an  equal  and 
the  highest  number  of  votes,  or  when  a 
new  probate  district  shall  be  created,  and 
no  provision  made  for  the  election  of  a 
judge  thereof,  or  whenever  it  shall  be 
shown  to  the  governor  that  a  vacancy  is 
about  to  exist  in  said  office,  by  reason  of 
the  resignation  of  the  incumbent  to  take 
effect  at  a  future  time  or  by  reason  of 
constitutional  limitation,  or  when  there 
shall  be  a  vacancy  in  said  office,  the  gov- 
ernor shall  issue  writs  of  election  directed 
to  those  officials  whose  duty  it  shall  be 
to  call  electors'  meetings  within  such  dis- 
trict, ordering  an  election  to  be  held  on  a 
day  named  therein  to  fill  such  vacancy  or 
impending  vacancy,  and  transmit  the  same 
to  the  sheriff  of  the  county  in  which  such 
district  is  situated,  who  shall  forthwith 
transmit  them  to  said  officials,  who,  on 
receiving  the  same,  shall  warn  electors' 
meetings  to  be  held  on  the  day  appointed 
in  said  writs,  in  the  same  manner  as  bien- 
nial electors'  meetings  are  warned;  and 
said  meetings  shall  be  organized,  conducted, 
and  proceeded  with  as  are  biennial  electors' 
meetings;  and  the  ballots  shall  be  counted 
and  the  vote  declared,  and  returns  made, 
certified,  directed,  deposited,  and  trans- 
mitted in  the  same  manner  as  at  a  bien- 
nial electors'  meeting. 


69 


§  1676.  Canvass  of  votes  cast  at  such 
election.  The  secretary,  treasurer,  and 
comptroller  shall,  within  thirty  days  after 
any  such  meeting,  count  and  declare  the 
votes  so  returned,  and  notice  shall  be  given 
to  the  person  declared  elected,  in  the  same 
manner  as  is  provided  in  the  election  of 
judges  of  probate  at  biennial  electors'  meet- 
ings. The  original  return  of  votes,  and  the 
canvass,  shall,  within  ten  days  thereafter, 
by  the  secretary  be  submitted  to  the  gov- 
ernor. 

§  1677.  Election  of  sheriff  or  judge  of 
probate,  how  contested.  After  the  official 
declaration  of  the  election  of  any  sheriff 
or  judge  of  probate,  any  person  claiming  to 
be  so  elected,  but  not  so  declared,  may 
bring  his  petition  to  any  judge  of  the 
superior  court,  alleging  all  the  facts  upon 
which  such  claim  is  founded,  which  shall  be 
served  upon  the  party  against  whom  such 
claim  is  made,  at  least  two  days  inclusive 
before  the  day  of  return,  and  shall  be  made 
returnable,  and  returned  to  such  judge  on 
or  before  the  fifth  day  of  December  next 
after  such  election,  and  said  judge  shall 
thereupon  hear  and  determine  said  peti- 
tion, and  his  decision  thereon  shall  be  con- 
clusive. If  he  shall  find  and  decide  that 
said  petitioner  was  legally  elected,  he  shall 
indorse  such  finding  and  judgment  upon 
said  petition,  and,  on  or  before  the  twenty- 
70 


second  day  of  said  December,  transmit  the 
same  to  the  secretary,  who  srTall  forthwith 
notify  the  petitioner  that  he  is  legally 
elected  to  said  office,  and  the  respondent 
that,  upon  the  decision  of  said  judge,  he 
is  not  legally  elected;  and  shall  issue  to 
the  petitioner  a  certificate  of  election,  and 
revoke  the  certificate  issued  to  the  respon- 
dent. 

§  1678.  Representatives  in  congress; 
election  of.  The  electors  in  each  of  the 
towns  in  this  state,  at  the  electors'  meetings 
on  the  Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  of 
November,  1902,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
shall  bring  in  their  ballots  for  a  representa- 
tive at  large  from  this  state  in  the  con- 
gress of  the  United  States.  The  electors 
in  the  several  towns  in  each  congressional 
district,  at  said  electors'  meetings  shall 
bring  in  their  ballots  for  a  representative 
in  said  congress  for  such  district,  who 
shall  reside  therein,  to  represent  this  state 
in  said  congress. 

§  1679.  Plurality  elects.  In  all  elections 
of  representatives  in  congress,  the  person 
having  the  greatest  number  of  votes  shall 
be  declared  to  be  elected. 

§  1680.  Ballots  for  presidential  elect- 
ors. The  electors  in  the  several  towns  in 
the   state,  at  the  electors'  meetings  on  the 

71 


Tuesday  next  after  the  first  Monday  of 
November,  1904,  and  quadrennially  there- 
after, shall  bring  in  their  ballots,  in  the 
manner  provided  in  this  chapter,  for  elect- 
ors of  president  and  vice-president  of  the 
United  States,  not  exceeding  in  number  the 
whole  number  of  senators  and  representa- 
tives to  which  the  state  shall  then  be  en- 
titled in  the  congress  of  the  United  States. 

§  1681.  Ballots  how  sorted,  counted 
and  returned.  The  ballots  shall  be  sorted, 
counted,  and  the  result  declared,  and  the 
returns  thereof  made,  as  is  provided  in 
respect  to  biennial  electors*  meetings.  The 
secretary  of  state  shall,  on  or  before  the 
first  Monday  of  October  of  the  year  in 
which  such  meetings  are  held,  transmit 
blank  forms  to  the  several  town  clerks,  for 
the  return  of  the  votes;  and  the  lists  and 
returns  of  the  votes  shall  be  made  out, 
certified,  and  directed  according  to  such 
forms. 

§  1682.  Meeting  of  presidential  elect- 
ors. The  said  electors  shall  meet  at  the 
office  of  the  secretary  of  state  at  twelve 
o'clock,  noon,  on  the  second  Monday  of 
the  January  succeeding  their  election,  and 
proceed,  as  required  by  the  constitution  and 
laws  of  the  United  States,  to  cast  their 
ballots    for    president    and    vice-president. 

72 


In  case  any  elector  should  be  absent,  or 
there  should  be  a  vacancy  in  the  electoral 
college  for  any  cause,  the  electors  present 
shall,  before  proceeding  to  vote  for  presi- 
dent and  vice-president  as  provided  above, 
proceed  to  elect  by  ballot  an  elector  to  fill 
said  vacancy,  and  the  person  so  chosen 
shall  be  an  elector  of  president  and  vice- 
president,  and  perform  the  duties  of  such 
office. 


§  1683.  Correction  of  errors  in  elec- 
tion of  state  officers.  Any  elector  residing 
in  any  town  who  claims  that  he  is  ag- 
grieved by  any  ruling  of  the  moderator  at 
any  election  for  governor,  lieutenant-gov- 
ernor, secretary,  treasurer,  attorney-gen- 
eral, and  comptroller,  held  in  his  town,  or 
that  there  has  been  a  mistake  in  the  count 
of  the  votes  cast  at  such  election  for  can- 
didates for  said  offices,  or  either  of  them, 
at  any  voting  district  in  his  town,  may, 
within  three  days  after  such  election,  bring 
his  complaint  to  any  judge  of  the  superior 
court,  in  which  he  shall  set  out  in  a  proper 
form  the  claimed  errors  of  the  moderator 
or  the  claimed  errors  in  the  count,  and 
such  judge  of  the  superior  court  shall  forth- 
with order  a  hearing  to  be  had  upon  said 
complaint,  upon  a  day  not  more  than  five 
nor  less  than  three  days  from  the  making 
of  said  order,  and  shall  cause  notice  of  not 


73 


less  than  three  nor  more  than  five  days  to 
be  given  to  any  candidate  or  candidates 
whose  election  may  be  affected  by  the  de- 
cision upon  said  hearing,  and  to  any  other 
party  or  parties  whom  such  judge  shall 
deem  proper  parties  thereto,  of  the  time 
and  place  for  the  hearing  upon  such  com- 
plaint; and  such  judge,  or  in  case  of  his 
inability,  such  judge  as  may  be  designated 
by  the  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court 
of  errors,  shall,  on  the  day  fixed  for  said 
hearing  and  without  unnecessary  delay, 
proceed  to  hear  the  parties,  and,  if  sufficient 
reason  be  shown,  he  may  order  any  ballot 
boxes  to  be  opened  and  a  recount  of  the 
ballots  cast  to  be  made,  and  he  shall  there- 
upon, in  case  he  finds  any  error  in  the  rul- 
ings of  the  moderator,  or  any  mistake  in 
the  count  of  the  said  votes,  certify  the  re- 
sult of  his  finding  or  decision  to  the  secre- 
tary of  state  before  the  first  day  of  the 
next  succeeding  December ;  and  said  cer- 
tificate of  the  said  judge  of  the  superior 
court  of  his  said  finding  or  decision  shall 
be  final  and  conclusive  upon  all  questions 
relating  to  errors  in  the  rulings  of  said 
moderators  and  to  the  correctness  of  said 
count,  and  shall  operate  to  correct  the  re- 
turns of  such  moderators  or  presiding  of- 
ficers so  as  to  conform  to  such  finding  or 
decision,  unless  the  same  be  appealed  from 
as  hereinafter  provided. 
§  1684.     Supreme  court  of  errors;  ap- 


74 


peals  to.  If,  upon  any  such  hearing  by  a 
judge  of  the  superior  court,  any  question 
of  law  shall  be  raised,  which  any  party  to 
the  complaint  shall  claim  should  be  re- 
viewed by  the  supreme  court  of  errors, 
such  judge,  instead  of  filing  the  certificate 
of  his  finding  or  decision  with  the  secre- 
tary of  state,  shall  transmit  the  same,  in- 
cluding therein  such  questions  of  law,  to- 
gether with  a  proper  finding  of  facts,  to 
the  chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of 
errors,  who  shall  thereupon  call  a  special 
session  of  said  court  for  the  purpose  of  an 
immediate  hearing  upon  the  questions  of 
law  so  certified;  and  a  copy  of  the  finding 
and  decision  so  certified  by  the  judge  of 
the  superior  court,  together  with  the  de- 
cision of  the  supreme  court  of*  errors  on 
the  questions  of  law  therein  certified,  shall 
be  duly  attested  by  the  clerk  of  the  su- 
preme court  of  errors,  and  by  him  trans- 
mitted to  the  secretary  of  state  on  or  be- 
fore the  third  Monday  of  the  December 
next  succeeding  such  election;  and  the 
finding  and  decision  of  the  judge  of  the 
superior  court,  together  with  the  decision 
of  the  supreme  court  of  errors  on  the 
questions  of  law  thus  certified,  shall  be 
final  and  conclusive  upon  all  questions  re- 
lating to  errors  in  the  rulings  of  said 
moderators  and  to  the  correctness  of  said 
count,  and  shall  operate  to  correct  the  re- 
turns of  such  moderators  or  presiding  of- 


75 


fleers    so   as   to   conform   to    such    decision 
of  said  court. 

§  1685.  Presidential  and  congressional 
elections;  errors  corrected.  Any  elector 
residing  in  any  town,  who  claims  that  he 
is  aggrieved  by  any  ruling  of  the  modera- 
tor at  any  election  for  electors  of  president 
and  vice-president,  and  for  representative 
in  congress,  or  either  of  them,  held  in  his 
town,  or  that  there  has  been  a  mistake 
in  the  count  of  the  votes  cast  at  such  elec- 
tion for  candidates  for  said  electors  or 
representative  in  congress,  or  either  of 
them,  at  any  voting  district  in  his  town, 
may,  within  three  days  after  such  election, 
bring  his  complaint  to  any  judge  of 
the  supreme  court  of  errors,  in  which  he 
shall  set  out  in  a  proper  form  the  claimed 
errors  of  the  moderator,  or  the  claimed 
errors  in  the  count,  and  such  judge  of  the 
supreme  court  shall  forthwith  order  a  hear- 
ing to  be  had  upon  said  complaint,  upon  a 
day  not  more  than  five  nor  less  than 
three  days  from  the  making  of  said  order, 
and  shall  cause  notice  of  not  less  than  three 
nor  more  than  five  days  to  be  given  to  any 
candidate  or  candidates  whose  election 
may  be  affected  by  the  decision  upon  such 
hearing,  and  to  any  other  party  or  parties 
whom  such  judge  shall  deem  proper  parties 
thereto,  of  the  time  and  place  for  the  hear- 
ing upon  such  complaint;  and  such  judge, 

76 


together  with  two  other  judges  of  the  su- 
preme court  to  be  designated  by  the  chief 
justice  of  said  court,  or,  in  case  of  his 
inability,  by  the  judge  of  the  supreme  court 
to  whom  such  application  is  made,  shall,  on 
the  day  fixed  for  said  hearing,  and  with- 
out unnecessary  delay,  proceed  to  hear  the 
parties,  and,  if  sufficient  reason  be  shown, 
they  may  order  any  ballot  boxes  to  be 
opened  and  a  recount  of  the  ballots  cast 
to  be  made,  and  they  shall  thereupon,  in 
case  they,  or  any  two  of  them,  find  any 
error  in  the  rulings  of  the  moderator  or 
any  mistake  in  the  count  of  the  said  votes, 
certify  the  result  of  their  finding  or  de- 
cision, or  the  finding  or  decision  of  a  ma- 
jority of  them,  to  the  secretary  of  state 
before  the  Monday  before  the  last  Wed- 
nesday of  the  month  in  which  such  elec- 
tions are  held ;  and  such  certificate  of  said 
judges,  or  a  majority  of  them,  shall  be 
final  and  conclusive  upon  all  questions  re- 
lating to  the  rulings  of  said  moderators, 
and  to  the  correctness  of  said  count,  and 
shall  operate  to  correct  the  returns  of  such 
moderators  or  presiding  officers,  so  as  to 
conform  to  such  finding  or  decision. 


§  1686.  Canvass  of  votes  for  state  offi- 
cers. The  votes  for  governor,  lieutenant- 
governor,  secretary,  treasurer,  attorney- 
general,  and  comptroller  shall  be  canvassed 


77 


by  the  persons  authorized  to  receive  and 
count  the  same,  during  the  month  of 
December  next  after  they  were  cast,  but 
said  canvass  shall  not  be  completed  until 
after  the  third  Monday  of  said  December; 
and  in  making  said  canvass  the  votes 
upon  the  returns  made  by  the  presiding 
officers  shall  be  counted  in  conformity  to 
the  decision  of  the  judge  of  the  superior 
court  or  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors, 
as  the  case  may  be,  and  said  canvass  of 
said  votes  shall  be  made  in  conformity  to 
such  decision,  and  a  fair  list  of  said  votes 
made  to  conform  to  the  original  returns 
of  the  said  presiding  officers,  as  cor- 
rected or  affected  by  the  finding  or  de- 
cision of  said  judge  of  said  court,  to- 
gether with  the  original  returns  of  the 
presiding  officers,  and  the  certificates  of 
the  decision  of  the  judge  of  the  superior 
court,  or  the  decision  of  the  supreme  court 
of  errors,  shall,  on  the  first  day  of  the 
session,  be  laid  before  the  general  assembly, 
which  shall  declare  who  are  elected  to  said 
offices   respectively. 

§  1687.  Congressional  representation; 
vacancy  how  filled.  When  any  vacancy 
shall  happen  in  the  office  of  representative 
in  congress  from  any  district,  or  at  large, 
in  this  state,  the  governor  shall  issue 
writs  of  election,  directed  to  those  officials 
whose  duty  it  shall  be  to  warn  electors' 
78 


meetings  in  the  vacant  district,  or  in  the 
state  at  large,  as  the  case  may  be,  ordering 
an  election  to  be  held,  on  a  day  named, 
to  fill  such  vacancy,  and  cause  them  to 
be  conveyed  to  the  sheriffs  of  the  counties 
composing  such  district  or  in  case  of  rep- 
resentative at  large  to  the  several  sheriffs 
in  the  state,  who  shall  forthwith  transmit 
them  to  said  officials,  who  on  receiving  said 
writs,  shall  warn  electors'  meetings  to  be 
held  on  the  day  appointed  therein,  in  the 
same  manner  as  biennial  electors'  meetings 
are  warned;  which  meetings  shall  be 
organized,  conducted,  and  proceeded  with 
as  biennial  electors'  meetings,  and  said 
ballots  shall  be  counted  and  the  vote  de- 
clared, certified,  directed,  deposited,  re- 
turned, and  transmitted,  in  the  same 
manner  as  at  a  biennial  electors'  meet- 
ing. 


§  1688.  Canvass  of  votes;  representa- 
tive in  congress.  The  treasurer,  secretary, 
and  comptroller  shall,  within  thirty  days 
after  such  meetings,  subject,  however,  to 
the  provisions  of  section  1685,  publicly 
count  the  votes  returned,  and  declare  what 
person  is  elected.  The  original  returns  of 
the  votes  given  and  returned  as  aforesaid, 
and  the  canvass  shall,  within  ten  days  af- 
ter the  result  is  known,  be  submitted  by 
the  secretary  to  the  governor. 

79 


§  1689.  Canvass  for  presidential  elect- 
ors and  members  of  congress.  The  votes 
returned  as  cast  for  representatives  in  con- 
gress and  for  electors  of  president  and 
vice-president  of  the  United  States  shall 
be  publicly  counted  by  the  treasurer,  sec- 
retary, and  comptroller  on  the  last  Wed- 
nesday of  the  month  in  which  they  were 
cast,  and  said  votes  shall  be  counted  in 
conformity  to  any  decision  rendered  by 
the  judges  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors 
as  provided  in  section  1685,  and  in  ac- 
cordance with  the  count  so  made  they 
shall,  on  said  day,  declare  what  persons 
are  elected  as  representatives*  in  con- 
gress, and  they  shall  also  declare  the 
proper  number  of  persons  having  the 
greatest  number  of  votes  to  be  electors 
of  president  and  vice-president  of  the 
United  States,  and,  in'  case  of  an  equal 
vote  for  said  electors,  shall  determine  by 
lot,  from  the  persons  having  such  equal 
number  of  votes,  the  person  or  persons 
appointed  and  shall  publish  the  names  of 
the  persons  appointed  said  electors  in  two 
newspapers  published  in  Hartford,  and  im- 
mediately notify  them  by  mail  of  their  ap- 
pointment. 

§  1690.     Complainant  must  give  bond. 
The  complainant  in  any  complaint  or  pro- 
ceeding for  the  correction  of  errors  of  a 
moderator  or  for  a     recount     of     ballots, 
80 


shall  give  a  good  and  sufficient  bond  of 
prosecution  for  the  payment  of  costs,  and 
the  judge  or  judges  hearing  such  applica- 
tion shall  make  such  order  regarding  the 
payment  of  the  costs  in  said  action  as  may 
in  his  or  their  discretion  seem  proper,  and 
may  render  judgment  and  issue  execution 
therefor. 

§  169 1.  Suppression  of  disorder  at 
electors'  meetings.  The  presiding  officer 
of  any  electors'  meeting  shall  have  the 
same  authority  and  may  proceed  in  the 
same  manner  in  quelling  disorder  as  the 
moderators  "of  town  meetings. 

§  1692.  Decision  of  election  officers 
no  bar  to  prosecution.  The  decision  of  the 
board  of  selectmen  and  town  clerk  or  of 
the  registrars,  or  of  a  moderator,  as  to  ci 
person's  right  to  be  admitted  to  the 
elector's  oath,  to  registration,  or  to  cast 
his  ballot,  shall  in  no  case  be  a  bar  to  a 
criminal  prosecution  for  procuring  him- 
self to  be  made  an  elector,  or  to  be  reg- 
istered, or  for  voting,  without  the  qualifica- 
tions requi/ed  by  law. 

§  1693.  Discharge  of  criminal  on  elec- 
tion day.  Any  sheriff,  deputy  sheriff,  jailer, 
or  deputy  jailer,  who  has  charge  of  any 
person  confined  in  jail  by  any  process 
growing  out  of  a  criminal  proceeding,  who 
81 


shall  permit  such  person  to  leave  the  jail 
on  the  day  of  any  electors'  meeting,  unless 
such  person  is  discharged  on  that  day  by 
the  operation  of  a  legal  discharge  from 
custody,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars. 

CHAPTER  280. 
An   Act    Concerning   Corrupt   Practices   at 

Elections,  Caucuses,  and  Primaries. 
Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 

Representatives  in  General  Assembly 

convened- 
Section  1.  The  provisions  of  this  act 
shall  apply  to  the  elections  of  all  officers 
for  whom  ballots  shall  be  cast  pursuant  to 
the  provisions  of  chapter  104  of  the  gen- 
eral statutes,  as  amended,  and  to  the  elec- 
tions of  all  officers  to  be  voted  for  by  the 
general  assembly,  by  the  board  of  aldermen 
or  common  council  of  any  city,  ana  by  the 
warden  and  burgesses  of  any  borough,  to 
all  caucuses  and  primary  elections  pre- 
liminary to  any  such  other  elections,  and 
to  all  candidates  to  be  voted  for  at  such 
elections,  caucuses,  and  primary  elections. 
The  term  "caucuses  and  primary  elections" 
shall  include:  (a)  all  meetings  held  to 
nominate  a  candidate  for  office  or  to  elect 
delegates  to  a  nominating  convention;  (b) 
nominating  conventions  of  such  delegates ; 
and  (c)  caucuses  of  members  of  the  gen- 
eral assembly,  of  the  board  of  aldermen  7or 
82 


common  council  of  any  city,  and  of  the 
warden  and  burgesses  of  any  borough.  Any 
person  shall  be  deemed  to  be  a  candidate 
for  the  office  of  senator  of  the  United  States 
for  whom  ten  or  more  votes  shall  have  been 
casfc  either  at  a  legislative  caucus,  or  at  a 
regular  election  by  the  general  assembly. 

Sec.  2.  The  term  "political  committee" 
shall  include  every  committee  or  combina- 
tion of  three  or  more  persons  to  aid  or 
promote  the  success  or  defeat  of  any  politi- 
cal party  or  principle  in  any  such  election, 
or  to  aid  or  take  part  in  the  nomination  or 
election  of  any  candidate  for  public  office. 
The  term  "treasurer"  shall  include  all  per- 
sons appointed  by  any  political  committee 
to  receive  or  disburse  moneys  to  aid  or 
promote  the  success  or  defeat  of  any  such 
party,  principle,  or  candidate.  The  term 
"political  agent"  shall  include  all  persons 
appointed  by  any  candidate  before  any  such 
election,  caucus,  or  primary  election  to  as- 
sist him  in  his  candidacy.  No  person  shall 
act  as  any  such  treasurer  or  political  agent 
unless,  after  his  appointment  and  before  the 
election  for  which  he  is  appointed,  a  writ- 
ing designating  him  as  such  treasurer  or 
political  agent  shall  be  filed  with  the  secre- 
tary of  the  state,  except  that,  in  case  the 
duties  of  such  treasurer  or  political  agent 
shall  relate  to  any  town,  city,  ward,  borough, 
or  school  district  election  exclusively,  or 
to  any  caucus  or  primary  election  prelimi- 

83 


nary  thereto,  such  writing  shall  be  hied 
with  the  town  clerk  of  the  town  within 
which  such  candidate  resides  instead  of  with 
said  secretary  of  the  state.  Every  such 
writing  shall  designate  the  particular  period, 
election,  caucus,  or  primary  election  during 
which  such  treasurership  or  political  agency 
shall  continue.  Nothing  in  this  act  shall 
prevent  the  treasurer  or  political  agent  of 
any  organization  or  candidate  from  being 
the  treasurer  or  political  agent  of  any 
other  organization  or  candidate,  and  any 
candidate  for  public  office  may  designate 
himself  as  his  own  political  agent. 

Sec.  3.  Any  person  nominated  as  a  can- 
didate for  public  office  may  make  a  volun- 
tary payment  of  money  to  any  treasurer 
or  political  agent;  provided,  however,  that 
no  person  other  than  such  a  candidate  shall, 
to  aid  or  promote  the  success  or  defeat  of 
any  political  party  or  principle,  or  of  any 
candidate  for  public  office,  within  six 
months  prior  to  any  such  election  make  a 
contribution  of  money  or  property  to  any 
person  other  than  to  a  treasurer  or  political 
agent.  Nothing  contained  in  this  act  shall 
limit  or  affect  the  right  of  any  person  to 
expend  money  for  proper  legal  expenses 
in  maintaining  or  contestinj  the  results  of 
any  such  election. 

Sec.  4.    No  person  other  than  a  treasurer 
or  political  agent  shall  pay  any  of  the  ex- 
penses of  any  election,  caucus,  or  primary    . 
election,   except  that  a  candidate  may  pay 

84 


his  own  expenses  for  postage,  telegrams, 
telephones,  stationery,  printing,  express,  and 
traveling;  but  the  provisions  of  this  section 
shall  not  apply  to  non-partisan  election  and 
ante-election  expenses  paid  for  out  of  the 
public  moneys  of  the  state,  or  of  any  town, 
city,  or  other  municipality. 

Sec.  5.  Subject  to  the  foregoing  limita- 
tions, it  shall  be  lawful  for  any  treasurer  or 
political  agent,  in  connection  with  any  elec- 
tion, caucus,  or  primary  election,  to  pay  the 
following  expenses:  (a)  of  hiring  public 
halls  and  music  for  conventions,  public 
meetings,  and  public  primaries,  and  for  ad- 
vertising the  same  by  posters  or  otherwise ; 
(b)  of  printing  and  circulating  political 
newspapers,  pamphlets,  and  books ;  (c)  of 
printing  and  distributing  ballots  and  past- 
ers;  (d)  of  renting  rooms  to  be  used  by 
political  committees;  (e)  of  compensating 
clerks  and  other  persons  employed  in  com- 
mittee rooms  and  at  the  polls  ;  (f)  of  travel- 
ing expenses  of  political  agents,  committees, 
and  public  speakers;  (g)  of  necessary  post- 
age, telegrams,  telephones,  printing,  express, 
and  conveyance  charges.  No  treasurer  or 
political  agent  shall  incur  any  expense  for 
any  purpose  not  authorized  by  this  section. 

Sec.  6.  Within  fifteen  days  after  any 
such  election,  every  treasurer  and  every 
political  agent  shall  file  an  itemized  sworn 
statement  with  the  officer  with  whom  his 
designation  was  filed  as  aforesaid,  which 
statement     shall     include     the     amount    of 

85 


money  or  property  in  each  case  received 
or  promised,  the  name  of  the  person  from 
whom  it  was  received  or  by  whom  it  was 
promised,  the  amount  of  every  expenditure 
made  or  liability  incurred,  the  name  of  the 
person  to  whom  such  expenditure  or  prom- 
ise was  made,  and  shall  clearly  state  the 
purpose  for  which  such  money  or  property 
was  so  expended  or  promised. 

Sec.  7.  Every  candidate  for  public  office, 
including  candidates  for  the  office  of  sena- 
tor of  the  United  States,  shall,  within  fifteen 
days  after  the  election  at  which  he  was  a 
candidate,  file  with  the  secretary  of  the 
state,  if  a  candidate  for  senator  of  the 
United  States,  representative  in  congress, 
or  for  any  state,  county,  or  probate  office, 
state  senator,  or  representative  in  the  gen- 
eral assembly,  but  with  the  town  clerk  of 
the  town  in  which  he  resides  if  he  was  a 
candidate  for  a  town,  city,  ward,  borough, 
or  school  district  office,  an  itemized,  sworn 
statement  setting  forth  in  detail  all  the 
moneys  contributed,  expended,  or  promised 
by  him  to  aid  and  promote  his  nomination 
or  election,  or  both,  as  the  case  may  be,  and 
all  existing  unfulfilled  promises  or  liabili- 
ties remaining  uncanceled  and  in  force  at 
the  time  such  statement  is  made,  whether 
such  expenditures,  promises,  and  liabilities 
were  made  or  incurred  before,  during,  or 
after  such  election.  If  no  money  or  other 
valuable  thing  was  given,  paid,  expended, 
contributed,  or  promised,  and  no  unfulfilled 
86 


liabilities  were  incurred  by  a  candidate  for 
public  office  to  aid  or  promote  his  nomina- 
tion or  election,  he  shall  file  a  statement 
to  that  effect  within  fifteen  days  after  the 
election  at  which  he  was  a  candidate.  Any 
candidate  who  shall  fail  to  file  such  a  state- 
ment shall  be  fined  twenty-five  dollars  for 
every  day  on  which  he  is  in  default,  unless 
he  shall  be  excused  by  the  court.  Fifteen 
days  after  any  such  election  the  secretary 
of  the  state  or  the  town  clerk,  as  the  case 
may  be,  shall  notify  the  proper  prosecuting 
officer  of  any  failure  to  file  such  a  state- 
ment on  the  part  of  any  candidate,  and 
within  ten  days  thereafter  such  prosecuting 
officer  shall  proceed  to  prosecute  such  can- 
didate for  such  offense. 

Sec.  8.  All  statements  filed  in  accordance 
with  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be  pre- 
served for  fifteen  months  after  the  election 
to  which  they  relate,  and  shall,  during  said 
period,  be  open  to  public  inspection. 

Sec.  9.  The  secretary  of  the  state  shall, 
at  the  expense  of  the  state,  provide  every 
town  clerk  with  blank  forms  suitable  for 
such  statements. 

Sec.  to.  No  person  elected  to  any  office 
established  by  the  constitution  or  laws  of 
this  state  shall  receive  any  salary  or  emolu- 
ment for  the  period  during  which  he  shall 
have  failed  to  file  such  statement. 

Sec.  11.  The  following  persons  shall  be 
guilty  of  corrupt  practices  and  shall  be  pun- 
ished in  accordance  with  the  provisions  of 

87 


this  act:  (a)  Every  person  who  shall,  di- 
rectly or  indirectly,  receive,  accept,  request, 
or  solicit  from  any  person,  committee,  as- 
sociation, organization,  or  corporation  any 
money,  gift,  advantage,  preferment,  aid, 
emolument,  or  any  valuable  thing  whatso- 
ever, for  the  purpose  of  inducing  or  procur- 
ing any  person  to  vote  or  refrain  from  vot- 
ing for  or  against  any  person,  or  for  or 
against  any  measure  at  any  such  election, 
caucus,  or  primary  election.  (b)  Every 
person  who,  in  consideration  of  any  money, 
gift,  advantage,  preferment,  aid,  emolument, 
or  any  valuable  thing  whatsoever,  paid,  re- 
ceived, accepted,  or  promised  to  the  ad- 
vantage of  himself  or  any  other  person, 
shall  vote  or  refrain  from  voting  for  or 
against  any  person,  or  for  or  against  any 
measure  at  any  such  election,  caucus,  or 
primary  election,  (c)  Every  person,  other 
than  the  political  committees  known  as  the 
national,  congressional,  state,  town,  city, 
ward,  and  borough  committees,  who  shall 
solicit  from  any  candidate  for  the  office  of 
elector  of  president  and  vice-president  of 
the  United  States,  of  senator  of  the  United 
States,  of  representative  in  congress,  or  of 
any  state,  county,  probate,  town,  city,  ward, 
borough,  or  school  district  office,  any  money, 
gift,  contribution,  emolument,  or  other 
valuable  thing  for  the  purpose  of  using  the 
same  for  the  support,  assistance,  benefit,  or 
expenses  of  any  club,  company,  or  organiza- 
tion, or  for  the  purpose  of  defraying  the 
88 


cost  or  expenses  of  any  political  campaign 
or  election,  (d)  Every  person  who  shall, 
directly  or  indirectly,  pay,  give,  contribute, 
or  promise  any  money  or  other  valuable 
thing  to  defray,  or  towards  defraying,  the 
cost  or  expenses  of  any  campaign  or  elec- 
tion to  any  person,  committee,  company, 
club,  organization,  or  association  other  than 
to  a  treasurer  or  a  political  agent;  but  this 
sub-section  shall  not  apply  to  any  expenses 
for  postage,  telegrams,  telephones,  station- 
ery, printing,  express,  or  traveling  incurred 
by  any  candidate  for  office  or  for  nomina- 
tion thereto.  (e)  Every  person  who,  in 
order  to  secure  or  promote  his  own  nomina- 
tion or  election  as  a  candidate  for  public 
office,  shall,  directly  or  indirectly,  promise 
to  appoint,  or  promise  to  secure  or  assist 
in  securing  the  appointment,  nomination, 
or  election  of  any  other  person  to  any  pub- 
lic position,  or  to  any  position  of  honor, 
trust,  or  emolument;  provided,  however, 
that  any  person  may  publicly  announce  his 
own  choice  or  purpose  in  relation  to  any 
appointment,  nomination,  or  election  in 
which  he  may  be  called  to  take  part,  if  he 
shall  be  nominated  for  or  elected  to  any 
public  office,  (f)  Every  person  who  shall, 
directly  or  indirectly,  by  himself  or  through 
another  person,  make  a  payment  or  promise 
of  payment  to  a  treasurer  or  political  agent 
in  any  other  name  than  his  own,  and  every 
treasurer     or     political     agent     who     shall 

89 


knowingly  receive  a  payment  or  promise  of 
payment,  or  enter  or  cause  the  same  to  be 
entered  in  his  accounts,  in  any  other  name 
than  that  of  the  person  by  whom  such  pay- 
ment or  promise  of  payment  is  made. 

Sec.  12.  At  any  time  within  thirty  days 
after  any  such  election,  any  elector  or  voter 
at  such  election,  upon  giving  bonds  for 
prosecution  as  in  civil  actions,  may  present 
to  any  judge  of  the  superior  court  a  petition 
setting  forth  under  oath,  upon  information 
or  upon  personal  knowledge,  that  corrupt 
practices,  contrary  to  the  provisions  of  any 
section  of  this  act,  were  committed  at  or 
preliminary  to  such  election,  naming  the 
successful  candidate  as  defendant,  and 
praying  that  the  facts  alleged  may  be  in- 
quired into.  If  such  judge  shall  be  of 
the  opinion  that  the  interests  of  public  jus- 
tice require  such  proceeding,  he  shall  order 
reasonable  notice  of  such  petition  to  be 
given  the  defendant  and  shall  notify  the 
chief  justice  of  the  supreme  court  of  errors 
of  such  petition.  The  chief  justice  shall 
designate  an  additional  judge  to  hear  such 
petition  in  conjunction  with  the  judge  to 
whom  the  petition  was  presented,  and,  in 
case  of  the  latter's  disqualification  or  inabil- 
ity, the  chief  justice  shall  appoint  two 
judges  to  hear  such  petition.  Such  petition 
shall  be  tried  without  a  jury,  and  the  peti- 
tioner and  all  candidates  at  such  election 
shall   be   entitled   to   appear   and  be  heard 

90 


as  parties.  In  case  such  petitjon  relates  to 
the  election  of  electors  of  president  and 
vice-president  of  the  United  States,  a  sena- 
tor of  the  United  States,  a  representative 
in  congress  or  in  the  general  assembly,  or 
of  any  officer  the  votes  for  whom  are  to  be 
counted  by  the  state  treasurer,  secretary  of 
the  state  and  comptroller,  the  trial  judges 
shall  have  no  power  to  declare  any  such 
election  to  be  void,  but  shall  file  their  joint 
finding  as  to  whether  or  not  the  success- 
ful candidate,  or  his  political  agent,  was  so 
guilty  of  corrupt  practices,  with  the  sec- 
retary of  the  state,  together  with  the  trans- 
cript of  the  evidence.  In  case  such  petition 
relates  to  any  other  office,  the  trial  judges 
shall  file  with  the  governor  their  joint  de- 
cision as  to  whether  or  not  the  successful 
candidate,  or  his  political  agent,  was  so 
guilty  of  corrupt  practices,  and  as  to  wheth- 
er or  not  such  election  was  void  as  herein- 
after provided.  If  said  judges  differ  as  to 
whether  any  such  candidate,  in  person  or  in 
the  person  of  his  political  agent,  was  so 
guilty,  or  whether  any  such  election  was  so 
void,  they  shall  so  certify  to  the  secretary 
of  the  state,  or  to  the  governor,  as  the  case 
may  be,  and  they  shall  also  file  a  transcript 
of  the  evidence  with  such  certificate.  In 
case  any  such  joint  decision  so  to  be  filed 
with  the  governor  shall  decide  that  any 
such  successful  candidate,  so  petitioned 
against,  was,  in  person  or  in  the  person  of 

91 


his  political  agent,  so  guilty  of  corrupt  prac- 
tices, such  election  shall  be  void,  except  as 
hereinafter  provided;  and  in  case  of  any 
such  void  election,  the  governor  shall, 
within  ten  days  after  the  receipt  of  such  de- 
cision, issue  a  writ  for  a  new  election  to  be 
held  within  forty  days  after  the  issuance  of 
such  writ.  If  any  candidate  shall  have  been 
so  jointly  found  or  decided  to  have  been 
so  guilty,  in  person,  of  corrupt  practices, 
he  shall  be  ineligible  to  election  or  appoint- 
ment to  any  public  office  for  the  period  of- 
four  years ;  but  the  mere  finding  or  decision 
that  his  political  agent  was  so  guilty  shall 
not  render  him  ineligible  to  office.  But 
where  the  trial  judges  or  one  of  them  shall 
decide  or  certify  that  any  such  successful 
candidate  was  guilty  of  corrupt  practices 
only  in  the  person  of  his  agent,  and  that 
(a)  no  corrupt  practice  was  committed  by 
the  candidate  personally  and  the  offense  was 
committed  contrary  to  his  order  and  with- 
out his  sanction  or  connivance ;  (b)  such 
candidate  took  all  reasonable  means  for 
preventing  the  commission  of  corrupt  prac- 
tices ;  (c)  the  offense  was  of  a  trivial,  un- 
important, and  limited  character;  and  (d) 
in  all  other  respects  such  election  was  free 
from  any  corrupt  practice  on  the  part  of 
such  candidate,  and  of  his  political  agents, 
then  the  election  of  such  candidate  shall  not 
be  void,  nor  shall  the  candidate  be  subject 
to  any  ineligibility  therefor.     Costs  may  be 

92 


taxed  as  in  equity,  and  the  trial  judges  shall 
have  power  to  tax  double,  treble,  or  quad- 
ruple costs  against  the  petitioner  if  they 
shall  find  that  the  allegations  of  his  peti- 
tion are  materially  untrue,  and  that  his 
petition  was  brought  from  vexatious  or 
malicious  motives.  An  appeal  may  be  had 
on  questions  of  law  from  any  decision  re- 
lative to  the  ineligibility  to  public  office  of 
any  such  candidate,  but  no  appeal  shall  lie 
from  any  decision  holding  that  any  such 
election  was  or  was  not  void. 

Sec.  13.  Any  state  referee,  any  judge  of 
the  superior  court,  or  the  judge  of  any 
court  of  common  pleas,  may,  upon  the  writ- 
ten request  of  any  state's  attorney,  prosecut- 
ing attorney  of  any  criminal  court  of  com- 
mon pleas,  or  of  the  district  court  of  Water- 
bury,  conduct  an  inquiry  as  to*  whether  any 
crime  has  been  committed  concerning  any 
matters  mentioned  in  such  request,  within 
the  jurisdiction  of  such  state's  attorney  or 
prosecuting  attorney  making  such  request, 
and  shall  have  power,  by  subpcena  issued 
by  him,  to  compel  the  attendance  before 
him  of  any  person  as  a  witness;  and  such 
person,  having  been  sworn  as  a  witness, 
may  be  examined  relative  to  any  matters 
under  investigation  as  aforesaid.  And  such 
referee  or  judge  shall  also  have  power,  by 
subpcena  duces  tecum,  issued  by  him,  to 
compel  the  production  before  him,  for  ex- 
amination, of  any  books  or  papers  of  any 

93 


kind,  or  of  any  other  thing  which  he  may 
require  in  the  conduct  of  such  inquiry. 
Such  referee  or  judge  shall  have  power,  by 
a  capias  issued  by  him,  to  cause  any  person 
who  shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  appear  before 
him  as  a  witness,  having  been  duly  sum- 
moned, to  be  brought  before  him;  and  any 
person  in  attendance  as  a  witness  who  shall 
refuse  to  be  sworn  as  a  witness,  or  who, 
being  sworn,  shall  refuse  to  answer  any 
proper  question  propounded  to  him,  and 
any  person  who,  having  been  duly  sum- 
moned, shall  neglect  or  refuse  to  appear 
before  such  referee  or  judge,  may  be  ad- 
judged guilty  of  contempt  and  may,  by  such 
referee  or  judge,  be  fined  not  more  than 
twenty-five  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more 
than  thirty  days,  or  both. 

Sec.  14.  Such  referee  or  judge,  in  the 
conduct  of  any  such  inquiry,  may,  in  his 
discretion,  employ  a  competent  stenographer 
to  take  down  the  examination  of  any  witness 
or  witnesses,  and  cause  the  stenographic 
notes  of  such  examination  to  be  trans- 
cribed and  furnished  to  any  proper  prosecu- 
ting officer  having  jurisdiction  of  the  sub- 
ject-matter of  such  inquiry;  and  such 
referee  or  judge  may  require  the  attendance 
and  assistance  at  any  such  inquiry  and 
in  procuring  the  attendance  of  wit- 
nesses, of  any  sheriff,  deputy  sheriff, 
state  policeman,  constable,  or  police  officer, 
who    shall   be    allowed    such    compensation 

94 


Ms  such  referee  or  judge  shall  deem  reason- 
able. 

Sec.  15.  Such  referee  or  judge  shall  re- 
turn to  the  clerk  of  the  superior  court  of 
the  county  wherein  such  inquiry  is  held,  an 
account  of  all  expenses  incurred  in  the  dis- 
charge of  his  duties,  including  witness  fees, 
which  account  said  clerk  shall  submit  to 
the  state's  attorney  for  such  county,  who 
shall  endorse  the  same,  if  correct,  or  such 
items  thereof  as  are  correct,  and  the  sums 
so  endorsed  shall  be  paid  by  the  state  on 
an  order  therefor  by  such  clerk. 

Sec.  16.  Every  person  who  shall  violate 
any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  one  thousand  dollars, 
or  imprisoned  not  more  than  one  year,  or 
both;  provided,  however,  that  this  section 
shall  not  apply  to  violations  of  any  of  the 
provisions  of  section  eight  of  this  act. 

Approved,  July  19,  1905. 

§  1699.  Corrupt  practices  in  political 
meetings.  Every  person  who  shall  influence 
or  attempt  to  influence  by  force  or  threat 
the  vote,  or  by  force,  threat,  bribery,  or 
corrupt  means,  the  speech,  of  any  person  in 
a  political  primary  meeting,  caucus,  or  con- 
vention; or  shall  wilfully  and  knowingly 
vote  more  than  once,  or  cast  more  than  one 
ballot  at  a  time  when  he  is  entitled  to  vote 
but  once  or  cast  but  one  ballot ;  or  shall 
wilfully  and  fraudulently  suppress  or  des- 

95 


troy  any  vote  or  ballot  properly  given  or 
cast,  or  shall  in  counting  such  votes,  or 
ballots  wilfully  miscount  or  misrepresent 
the  number  thereof;  and  every  presiding  or 
other  officer  of  a  political  primary  meeting, 
caucus,  or  convention,  who  shall  wilfally 
announce  the  result  of  a  ballot  or  vote  of 
such  meeting,  caucus,  or  convention,  un- 
truly and  wrongfully,  shall  be  lined  not  less 
than  twenty-five  nor  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  less 
than  seven  days,  nor  more  than  three 
months,  or  both. 

§  1700.  Employers'  threats.  Every 
person  who  shall,  at  or  within  sixty  days 
prior  to  any  electors5,  town,  city,  borough, 
or  school  meeting,  attempt  to  influence  the 
vote  of  any  operative  in  his  employ  by 
threats  of  withholding  employment  from 
him,  or  by  promises  of  employment,  or 
who  shall  dismiss  any  operative  from  his 
employment  on  account  of  any  vote  he 
may  have  given  at  any  such  meeting,  shall 
be  fined  not  less  than  one  hundred  dollars, 
nor  more  than  five  hundred  dollars,  or 
imprisoned  not  less  than  six  months, 
nor  more  than  twelve  months,  or  both. 

§  1701.  Betting  on  election.  Every  per- 
son who  shall  bet  on  any  election,  or  who 
shall  be  a  holder  of  anything  staked  upon 
any  election,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than 
one  hundred  dollars. 

96 


§  1702.  Pool  room.  Every  person  who 
shall  keep  a  place  which  is,  or  is  reputed  to 
be,  a  place  resorted  to  for  the  purpose  of 
selling  pools  upon  the  result  of  any  elec- 
tion, shall  be  fined  not  more  than  five 
hundred  dollars  or  imprisoned  not  more 
than  one  year,  or  both. 

§  1703.  Removing  marker.  Any  person 
who  during  an  election  shall  remove,  in- 
jure, deface,  or  destroy  any  distance 
marker  described  in  section  1653  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  one  hundred  dollars, 
or  imprisoned  not  more  than  six  months, 
or  both. 

§  1704.  Failure  of  official  to  warn 
meeting.  Every  person  whose  duty  it  shall 
.  be  to  warn  any  electors'  meeting,  and  who 
shall  fail  to  warn  such  meeting,  as  re- 
quired by  law,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than 
five  hundred  dollars. 

§  1705.  Delay  in  counting  or  declaring 
vote.  Every  moderator  of  any  electors' 
meeting  or  voting  district,  and  every  per- 
son appointed  to  act  as  counter,  who  shall 
wilfully  and  without  cause  delay  the  count- 
ing or  declaration  of  the  number  of  votes 
cast,  shall  be  fined  not  less  than  one 
hundred  nor  more  than  five  hundred  dol- 
lars, or  imprisoned  not  less  than  six 
months  nor  more  than  one  year. 

97 


§  1706.  False  registration.  Every  per- 
son who,  after  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon 
of  the  last  day  for  registration,  shall  place 
on  any  registration  list  under  the  title  "to 
be  made"  the  name  of  any  person  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  one  hundred  dollars, 
or  imprisoned  not  more  than  six  months. 

§  1707.     Unlawful    sessions   of   board. 

If  the  board  of  selectmen  and  town  clerk 
of  any  town  shall  be  in  session  for  the  pur- 
pose of  admitting  electors,  except  upon  the 
days  prescribed  by  law,  every  member  of 
said  board  who  shall  be  present  at  any  such 
session  and  participate  in  the  proceedings 
thereof  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more 
than  three  months. 

§  1708.  Fraudulent  registration.  Every 
person  who  shall  fraudulently  procure  him- 
self or  another  to  be  registered  as  an  elec- 
tor shall  be  fined  not  more  than  five 
hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more 
than  one  year,  or  both. 

§  1709.  Official  neglect  or  fraud.  Every 
person  who  shall  without  reasonable  cause 
neglect  to  perform  any  of  the  duties  re- 
quired of  him  by  the  laws  relating  to 
elections,  and  for  which  neglect  no  other 
punishment  is  provided,  and  every  person 
who  shall  be  guilty  of  fraud  in  the  per- 
98 


formance  of  any  such  duty,  and  every  per- 
son who  shall  make  any  unlawful  altera- 
tion in  any  list  required  by  law,  shall  be 
fined  not  more  than  three  hundred  dollars, 
or  imprisoned  not  more  than  one  year,  or 
both.  Any  official  who  shall  be  convicted 
of  fraud  in  the  performance  of  any  duty 
imposed  upon  him  by  any  law  relating  to 
the  registration  or  admission  of  electors,  or 
to  the  conduct  of  any  of  the  meetings  or 
elections  provided  for  in  this  chapter,  shall 
be  disfranchised. 

§  1710.  False  name.  Every  person  who 
shall  vote  or  attempt  to  vote  at  any  meet- 
ing by  assuming  the  name  of  another  who 
is  registered,  shall  be  fined  five  hundred 
dollars  and  be  imprisoned  one  year,  and 
shall  be  disfranchised. 

§  171 1.  Influencing  elector  to  refrain 
from  voting.  Every  person  who  shall  in- 
fluence or  attempt  to  influence  any  elector 
to  stay  away  from  any  electors',  town,  city, 
or  borough  meeting,  shall  be  fined  not  more 
than  five  hundred  dollars  and  imprisoned 
not  more  than  one  year  nor  less  than  three 
months. 

§  1712.  Fraudulent  abstraction  or  in- 
termingling of  votes.  Every  person  who 
shall  fraudulently  abstract  any  vote  from 
the  ballot  box  used  at  any  electors',    town, 

99 


city,  or  borough  meeting,  within  six 
months  thereafter,  or  who  shall,  at  such 
meeting,  or  within  six  months  thereafter, 
fraudulently  intermingle  any  vote  or  votes 
with  the  votes  legally  deposited  in  any  such 
box,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  five  hun- 
dred dollars  and  imprisoned  not  more  than 
two  years  in  the  state  prison  nor  less  than 
six  months  in  the  county  jail,  and  shall  be 
disfranchised. 

§  1 7 13.  Fraudulent  voting.  Every  per- 
son not  legally  qualified,  who  shall  fraudu- 
lently" vote  in  any  town  meeting,  or  at  any 
electors'  meeting  in  any  town  in  which  he 
is  not  qualified  to  vote,  and  every  legally 
qualified  person  who  shall,  at  such  town  or 
electors'  meeting,  fraudulently  put  into  the 
same  ballot  box  more  than  one  vote  at  the 
same  time  for  any  person  for  the  same 
office,  or  who  shall  fraudulently  vote  more 
than  once  at  the  same  balloting,  shall  be 
fined  not  less  than  three  hundred  dollars, 
nor  more  than  five  hundred  dollars,  and 
shall  be  imprisoned  not  less  than  one  year, 
nor  more  than  two  years,  and  shall  be  dis- 
franchised. 

§  1 7 14.  False  swearing  before  regis- 
trar, moderator,  or  board.  Every  person 
who  shall,  upon  oath  or  affirmation,  legally 
administered,  wilfully  and  corruptly  testify 
or  affirm  before  any  registrar  or  registrars 
100 


of  voters,  moderator  of  any  electors',  town, 
city  or  borough  meeting,  or  board  for  the 
admission  of  electors,  falsely  to  any  mate- 
rial fact  concerning  the  identity,  age,  resi- 
dence, or  other  qualifications  of  any  per- 
son whose  right  to  be  registered  or  admit- 
ted as  an  elector,  or  to  vote  at  any  electors', 
town,  city,  or  borough  meeting  shall  be  be- 
fore such  registrar,  moderator,  or  board 
for  the  purpose  of  being  passed  upon  and 
decided,  shall  be  imprisoned  not  more  than 
two  years,  and  shall  be  disfranchised. 

§  1715.  Penalties.  Any  person,  not  ex- 
pressly authorized  thereto,  who  shall  have 
in  his  possession  any  official  envelope,  and 
any  person  who  shall  have  in  his  posses- 
sion any  forged  imitation  of  any  official  en- 
velope or  official  ballot,  and  any  person  who 
shall  offer  to  any  one  not  authorized  or 
permitted  by  law  to  have  or  receive  an  of- 
ficial envelope,  or  who  shall  aid  or  know- 
ingly permit  such  person  to  obtain  posses- 
sion of  an  official  envelope,  and  any  per- 
son who  shall  offer  to  or  knowingly  permit 
any  one  to  obtain  possession  of  an  official 
envelope  for  the  purpose  of  using  the  same 
for  any  purpose  not  prescribed  by  law,  and 
any  person  not  authorized  who  shall  give 
or  offer  to  any  person  an  official  envelope, 
and  any  person  who  shall  offer  to  another 
any  forged  imitation  of  any  official  envelope 
or  official  ballot,  or  shall  offer  to  the  box 


tender  for  the  purpose  of  voting  the  same 
any  envelope  not  an  official  envelope,  and 
any  person  who  shall  offer  to  any  elector 
while  he  is  in  an  election  booth  any  ballot 
or  paster,  or  place  any  ballot  in  said  booth 
for  the  use  of  any  elector  or  for  any  pur- 
pose, and  any  person,  not  by  law  authorized 
thereto,  who  shall  receive  from  another  any 
official  envelope,  and  any  person  who  shall 
knowingly  receive  an  official  envelope  from 
any  person  not  authorized  by  the  provis- 
ions of  this  chapter  to  offer  or  give  the 
same,  and  any  person  who  shall  receive  an 
official  envelope  for  the  purpose  of  using 
the  same  for  any  other  purpose  or  purposes 
than  those  expressly  named  by  the  provis- 
ions of  this  chapter,  and  any  person  who 
shall  knowingly  receive  for  the  purpose  of 
depositing  the  same  in  the  ballot  box  any 
forged  imitation  of  any  official  envelope  or 
official  ballot,  and  any  box  tender  who  shall 
knowingly  deposit  in  the  ballot  box  any 
envelope  not  an  official  envelope,  and  any 
person  who  shall  imitate  any  official  en- 
velope or  official  ballot,  or  who  shall  print 
any  ballot  in  any  other  manner  than  as  pre- 
scribed by  the  secretary  of  state,  or  who 
shall  forge  the  name  of  any  official  envel- 
ope booth  tender  upon  any  envelope,  and 
any  person  who  shall  place  upon  any  official 
ballot  or  official  envelope  any  mark  or  de- 
vice for  the  purpose  of  enabling  any  person 
to  identify  the  same  as  having  been  voted  by 

102 


any  particular  person  ar  percoiac/oi  who 
for  said  purpose  shall  alter  or  change  any 
ballot  by  erasing  or  removing  any  name  or 
names  therefrom,  or  by  writing  any  name 
or  names  thereon,  or  by  placing  any  paster 
or  pasters  thereon,  and  any  person  who 
shall  attempt  to  ascertain  or  observe  the 
ballot  or  ballots  placed  by  any  elector  in 
the  official  envelope  while  said  elector  is 
in  said  booth,  and  any  person  who,  having 
received  an  official  envelope,  shall  leave  said 
voting  place  without  having  either  delivered 
it  up  to  the  moderator  or  returned  it  to 
the  envelope  booth  tenders,  and  any  per- 
son who  shall  print,  or  cause  to  be  printed, 
upon  any  official  ballot  the  name  of  any 
person  not  a  candidate  of  the  party  whose 
name  is  printed  at  the  head  of  said  ticket, 
or  shall  offer  to  an  elector  such  a  ballot, 
or  shall  offer  any  elector  a  ballot  or  paster 
within  seventy-five  feet  of  the  entrance  to 
any  polling  place,  and  any  person  who,  for 
the  purpose  of  voting  the  same  or  having 
any  other  person  vote  the  same,  shall  place 
any  ballot  or  ballots  in  an  official  envelope 
excepting  in  said  booth,  shall  be  fined  not 
more  than  one  thousand  dollars,  or  im- 
prisoned not  more  than  five  years,  or  both. 


103 


•     .-CHAPTER  181.    - 

An  Act  Concerning  the  Printing  of  Un- 
official  Ballots. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  in  General  Assembly 
convened: 

Any  person  who  shall  print  or  cause  to 
be  printed,  or  circulate  or  distribute,  or 
cause  to  be  circulated  or  distributed  at  or 
for  use  at  any  meeting  or  election  for  which 
ballots  of  a  prescribed  size,  style,  or  form, 
or  ballots  printed  on  official  paper  are  re- 
quired by  law,  any  ballot  for  use  at  such 
meeting  or  election,  or  bearing  the  names  of 
candidates  for  offices  to  be  voted  for  at 
such  meeting  or  election,  printed  upon  any 
paper  other  than  official  paper,  or  of  a  size, 
style,  or  form  other  than  that  prescribed 
according  to  law,  shall  be  fined  not  more 
than  five  hundred  dollars,  or  imprisoned  not 
more  than  one  year,  or  both. 

Approved,  June  29,   1905. 

§  1716.  Arrest  of  accused.  Upon  the 
written  complaint  of  any  three  electors  of 
a  town,  in  which  a  violation  of  any  law 
relating  to  elections  shall  have  occurred, 
to  any  justice  of  the  peace  of  the  county 
in   which    the    offense    is   committed,    sup- 

104 


ported  by  oath  or  affirmation  that  the  com- 
plainants have  good  reason  to  believe,  and 
do  believe,  that  the  allegations  therein  con- 
tained are  true  and  can  be  proved,  he  shall 
issue  a  warrant  for  the  arrest  of  the  ac- 
cused. 

§  1 717.  How  warned  and  held.  City 
meetings  for  the  election  of  city  officers 
shall  be  warned  and  held  in  the  same  man- 
ner as  electors'  meetings,  unless  otherwise 
provided. 

§  1 7 18.  Who  may  vote.  At  any  meet- 
ing of  the  city  of  Hartford,  New  Haven, 
Middletown,  or  Bridgeport,  for  the  election 
of  officers,  those  only  shall  vote  who  were 
registered  on  the  corrected  registry  list  last 
before  completed;  and  in  all  other  cities, 
unless  restricted  by  charter  provision,  any 
person  entitled  to  vote  at  city  meetings  for 
such  purpose  and  registered  on  said  list,  and 
those  having  a  legal  right  to  vote  at  such 
meetings,  and  whose  names  are  entered  on 
a  copy  of  said  list  before  voting,  may  vote 
therein;  and  the  names  of  those  voting 
shall  be  checked  on  said  copy,  and  said 
copy  so  checked  shall  be  kept  on  file  in  the 
office  of  the  city  clerk,  as  in  the  case  of 
electors'  meetings. 

§  1 7 19.     Preservation  of  ballots.     The 

ballots  cast  at  any  city  meeting  for  the 
election  of  officers,   shall,  after  they  have 

10S 


been  counted,  be  returned  by  the  presiding 
officer  to  the  ballot  box,  which  shall  be 
locked,  sealed  up,  and  deposited  by  him 
in  the  office  of  the  town  clerk,  so  that  the 
same  cannot  be  opened  without  the  knowl- 
edge of  such  presiding  officer ;  and  the  town 
clerk  shall  carefully  preserve  the  same,  with 
the  seal  unbroken,  six  months  after  such 
meeting,  to  be  opened  and  the  ballots  ex- 
amined only  by  those  authorized  to  make 
an  official  examination  of  them.  If  such 
boxes  are  opened  under  authority  of  a 
judge  of  the  superior  court,  said  judge  shall 
see  that  all  the  ballots  are  returned  to  the 
box,  and  that  the  same  is  effectually  sealed 
up  again. 


CHAPTER  273. 

An  Act  Concerning  Political  Primaries 
and  Caucuses. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  in  General  Assembly 
convened: 

Section  1.  In  every  town  in  which  an 
election  is  to  be  held  during  the  month  of 
March,  April,  May,  June,  July,  or  August, 
the  registrars  of  voters  shall  annually  be 
in  session  on  the  first  and  second  Fridays 
io6 


of  February,  and  in  every  town  in  which 
an  election  is  to  be  held  during  the  month 
of  September,  October,  November,  Decem- 
ber, January,  or  February,  the  registrars  of 
voters  shall  annually  be  in  session  on  the 
first  and  second  Fridays  of  August,  for  the 
purpose  of  making  an  enrolment  of  the  legal 
voters  of  said  towns,  and  for  the  purpose 
of  making  such  changes  in  the  enrolment 
lists  last  perfected  as  are  hereinafter  pro- 
vided for.  Said  registrars  may  hold  ses- 
sions at  such  other  times  as  they  may  deem 
necessary;  provided,  that  no  sessions  shall 
be  held  on  the  day  when  a  caucus  or  prim- 
ary shall  be  held.,  and  all  sessions  shall  be 
from  the  hours  of  twelve  o'clock  noon  until 
nine  o'clock  in  the  evening. 

Sec.  2.  Notice  of  all  sessions,  and  of  the 
time  and  place  thereof,  shall  be  given  by 
such  registrars  by  publication  at  least  twice 
in  a  newspaper  published  in,  or  having  a 
circulation  in  the  town  where  such  sessions 
are  to  be  held,  and  by  posting  notice  thereof 
upon  the  public  signpost  in  said  town,  not 
less  than  one  week  before  such  sessions. 
In  towns,  cities,  or  boroughs  divided  into 
voting  districts  or  wards,  and  in  which 
deputy  registrars  are  now  provided  by  law 
and  appointed  for  each  of  said  voting  dis- 
tricts or  wards,  said  deputy  registrars  shall 
be  in  session  in  each  district  or  ward,  for 
the  purpose  of  making  such  enrolment,  and 
such  changes  and  corrections  in  the  enrol- 

107 


ment  list  last  perfected  as  are  hereinafter 
provided  for;  and  the  time  and  place  for 
holding  such  sessions  in  such  voting  dis- 
tricts or  wards  shall  be  specified  in  the 
notice  hereinbefore  provided.  Within  forty- 
eight  hours  after  the  close  of  each  of  said 
sessions  each  of  said  deputy  registrars  shall 
deliver  to  the  registrar  of  whom  he  is  the 
appointee,  a  true  and  attested  list  or  lists, 
as  made  by  him,  showing  all  enrolments 
and  corrections  by  him  made. 

Sec.  3.  Said  registrars  at  said  sessions 
shall  compile  separate  lists  of  all  qualified 
electors  making  application  for  enrolment 
according  to  the  declared  political  prefer- 
ence of  said  electors.  In  those  towns  hav- 
ing cities  or  boroughs  within,  and  not  co- 
terminous with,  their  limits,  said  registrars 
shall  prepare  separate  lists  for  use  in  such 
cities  or  boroughs ;  and  when  cities  or  bor- 
oughs are  divided  into  wards  or  voting  dis- 
tricts, then  for  such  wards  or  voting  dis- 
tricts. Unless  application  for  erasure  or 
transfer  is  made,  they  shall  continue  thereon 
the  names  of  all  qualified  electors  appearing 
upon  the  lists  last  perfected ;  provided,  how- 
ever, that  when  any  elector  whose  name  ap- 
pears upon  said  last  perfected  list  has 
ceased  to  be  a  legal  voter  in  the  town  or, 
in  a  town  divided  into  voting  districts  or 
wards,  when  an  elector  whose  name  so  ap- 
pears has  removed  from  one  voting  dis- 
trict or  ward  to  another  voting  district  or 

108 


ward  in  said  town,  and  has  forfeited  his 
right  to  vote  in  the  voting  district  or  ward 
from  which  he  has  so  removed,  then  said 
registrars  may  erase  such  name.  In  all 
cases  where  an  erasure  is  made  because  of 
the  removal  of  an  elector  from  one  voting 
district  or  ward  to  another  voting  district 
or  ward  in  the  same  town,  the  registrar  or 
deputy  registrar  making  such  erasure  shall, 
within  twenty-four  hours,  report  such  eras- 
ure to  the  registrar  or  deputy  registrar  of 
the  same  political  party  in  the  voting  dis- 
trict or  ward  to«which  such  elector  has  re- 
moved, and  such  registrar  or  deputy  regis- 
trar shall  add  such  name  to  the  list  of 
those  of  the  same  political  preference  in 
such  district  or  ward,  unless  otherwise 
directed  by  said  elector. 

Sec.  4.  Within  one  week  after  the  com- 
pletion of  each  enrolment  said  registrars 
shall  cause  a  sufficient  number  of  copies 
of  said  corrected  lists  to  be  made,  and  shall 
file  twenty-five  copies  of  each  with  the  town 
clerk,  and  shall  deliver  to  the  chairman  of 
the  town  committee  of  each  political  party 
casting  ten  per  centum  or  more  of  the  total 
vote  of  the  town  at  the  last  previous  gen- 
eral election,  such  number  of  copies  as 
may  be  necessary  to  supply  the  chairman  or 
clerk  of  each  political  primary  or  caucus  to 
be  held  in  such  town,  city,  or  borough,  as 
the  case  may  be,  before  the  making  of  the 
next  corrected  enrolment  list  as  herein  re- 

109 


quired,  with  one  complete  set  of  such  lists. 
The  chairman  of  said  town  committee  shall 
deliver  copies  thereof  to  the  chairman  or 
clerk  of  each  caucus  or  primary  meeting. 
Should  there  be  no  chairman  of  a  town 
committee  of  any  political  party  coming 
under  the  provisions  of  this  act,  the  town 
clerk  shall  furnish  the  chairman  or  clerk 
of  each  such  caucus  or  primary  meeting 
with  the  list  hereinbefore  specified. 

Sec.  5.  Any  elector  may  make  oral  or 
written  application  for  enrolment  to  either 
of  the  registrars  of  the  tcavn  in  which  said 
elector  resides,  and  shall  declare  in  said  ap- 
plication the  political  party  with  the  cau- 
cuses or  primaries  of  which  he  desires  to 
be  affiliated,  and  his  name  shall  thereupon 
be  entered  by  said  registrars  upon  the  list 
of  those  electors  of  that  political  preference. 
In  towns,  cities,  or  boroughs  divided  into 
voting  districts  or  wards,  and  for  which 
deputy  registrars  are  provided,  application 
for  enrolment  shall  be  made  to  the  deputy 
registrar  in  the  voting  district  or  ward  in 
which  such  elector  is  legally  entitled  to  vote 
at  the  time  of  making  said  application,  and 
said  application  shall  state  the  street,  and 
number,  if  any,  of  his  residence. 

Sec.  6.  Whenever  any  person  shall  have 
been  made  a  voter  after  a  regular  session 
of  the  registrars  and  prior  to  the  election 
next  succeeding  such  session,  such  elector, 
Upon    application   to    any    registrar   having 

no 


jurisdiction  in  the  town,  voting  district,  or 
ward  in  which  said  elector  is  entitled  to 
vote,  and  upon  making  a  statement  of  his 
political  preference,  shall  receive  from  the 
registrar  to  whom  the  application  is  made 
a  certificate  showing  that  such  elector  is 
entitled  to  enrolment  upon  the  list  of  the 
party  named  in  said  application;  and  upon 
the  presentation  of  such  certificate  to  the 
chairman  of  any  caucus  or  primary  held 
prior  to  such  election,  and  in  which  primary 
or  caucus  such  elector  would  be  legally  en- 
titled to  participate  if  regularly  enrolled, 
said  certificate  shall  have  the  same  effect 
as  though  said  voter  had  been  enrolled  on 
the  list  of  the  political  party  named  in 
said  application.  Said  registrars  shall  keep 
a  record  of  all  such  certificates  issued,  and 
at  the  time  of  making  the  next  corrected 
enrolment  list  shall  add  the  name  of  any 
such  elector  to  the  party  list  of  those  hav- 
ing the  same  political  preference,  unless 
said  elector  has  ceased  to  be  a  legal  voter 
in  said  town,  voting  district,  or  ward,  as 
the  case  may  be,  or  unless  otherwise  direct- 
ed by  said  elector. 

Sec.  7.  Upon  the  oral  or  written  applica- 
tion of  any  elector  enrolled  as  aforesaid,  at 
any  session  of  said  registrars,  said  registrars 
shall  erase  the  name  of  the  elector  making 
such  application  from  the  list  on  which 
said  name  appears,  or  shall  transfer  the 
same  from  said  list  to  any  other  party  list 


kept  by  said  registrars,  as  said  elector  shall 
direct.  In  towns,  cities,  or  boroughs  di- 
vided into  voting  districts  or  wards,  and 
for  which  deputy  registrars  are  provided, 
when  an  elector  shall  remove  from  one 
ward  to  another,  or  from  one  district  to 
another,  said  deputy  registrars  shall,  upon 
oral  application  or  written  notice  from  an 
elector,  at  any  session  of  said  deputy  regis- 
trars, transfer  the  name  of  such  elector 
from  the  list  on  which  •  it  appears  to  such 
list  as  the  elector  shall  direct. 

Sec.  8.  All  written  or  printed  applica- 
tions for  enrolment  shall  be  preserved  by 
said  registrars,  and  at  the  completion  of 
each  enrolment  said,  applications  shall  be 
arranged  in  alphabetical  order  and  filed 
with  the  town  clerk. 

Sec.  9.  At  any  caucus  or  primary  meet- 
ing of  the  enrolled  voters  of  a  specified 
party  in  any  town,  city,  or  borough,  or  in 
a  ward  of  a  city,  or  in  a  voting  district, 
said  caucus  or  primary  being  legally  called, 
for  the  nomination  of  candidates  to  be  sup- 
ported at  any  state,  municipal,  or  town 
election,  or  for  the  election  of  delegates  to 
any  political  convention,  the  chairman  of 
such  caucus  or  primary  meeting  shall,  upon 
the  receipt  of  a  written  motion  from  any 
person  lawfully  participating  in  such  caucus 
or  primary,  calling  for  a  vote  by  ballot 
upon  any  or  all  candidates  before  the  cau- 
cus, as  said  motion  shall  designate,  submit 


such  motion  to  a  rising  vote  of  said  caucus 
or  primary;  and  if  twenty-five  per  centum 
of  the  electors  present  and  lawfully  voting 
shall  vote  in  favor  of  said  motion,  the  nom- 
inations specified  in  said  motion  shall  be 
made  by  ballot.  Upon  the  passage  of  such 
vote,  the  presiding  officer  of  said  caucus  or 
primary  shall  appoint  two  tellers,  and  be- 
fore any  ballot  shall  be  deposited  for  the 
choice  of  any  or  all  candidates,  or  any  or 
all  delegates  to  be  chosen  at  said  caucus 
or  primary,  the  name  of  the  elector  offer- 
ing to  vote  shall  be  given  to  the  clerk  or 
secretary  of  said  caucus  or  primary,  and 
said  name  checked  upon  the  registry  list 
of  said  caucus  or  primary. 

Sec.  10.  Any  person  unlawfully  voting 
or  participating,  or  attempting  to  vote  or 
participate  in  any  caucus  or  primary  of  a 
political  party  other  than  that  of  the  politi- 
cal party  with  which  he  shall  have  been 
enrolled,  or,  in  towns  divided  into  wards  or 
voting  districts,  any  elector  who  shall  reg- 
ister or  vote  at  any  caucus  or  primary  in  a 
ward  or  voting  district  other  than  the  ward 
or  district  in  which  said  elector  is  legally 
entitled  to  vote  at  the  time  of  such  caucus, 
or  any  elector  who  shall  sign  the  name  of 
another  to  a  written  application  to  register 
without  the  knowledge  and  consent  of  the 
person  whose  name  is  signed  thereto,  or 
who  shall  falsely  represent  the  contents  of 
any  written  or  printed  form  of  application 

113 


for  enrolment  with  intent  to  secure  the  ap- 
plication of  an  elector  for  enrolment  upon 
a  list  other  than  that  of  his  true  political 
preference,  or  any  registrar  or  deputy  reg- 
istrar of  voters  who  shall  refuse  or  neglect 
to  hold  sessions  as  provided  in  this  act,  or 
who  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  register  an 
elector  upon  the  oral  or  written  application 
of  such  elector,  or  who  shall  refuse  or  neg- 
lect to  erase  or  transfer  an  elector's  name 
as  provided  in  section  seven  of  this  act,  or 
who  shall  register  any  elector  upon  a  party 
list  other  than  that  declared  by  said  elector 
in  his  application  as  his  political  prefer- 
ence, or  any  chairman  of  a  caucus  or  pri- 
mary meeting  of  the  enrolled  voters  of  a 
specified  party,  said  caucus  or  primary  be- 
ing legally  called  for  the  nomination  of 
candidates  to  be  supported  at  any  state, 
municipal,  or  town  election,  or  for  the 
election  of  delegates  to  any  political  con- 
vention, who  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to 
comply  with  the  requirements  of  this  act, 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  one  hundred 
dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more  than  sixty 
days,   or  both. 

Sec.  11.  The  provisions  of  this  act  shall 
not  extend  to  any  political  party  or  politi- 
cal organization  casting  less  than  ten  per 
centum  of  the  total  vote  of  any  town  or 
city  at  the  last  previous  general  election. 

Sec.  12.  For  the  duties  imposed  by  this 
act,    every    registrar    and    deputy    registrar 

114 


actually  engaged  therein  shall  receive  such 
reasonable  compensation  and  expenses  from 
the  town  for  which  the  enrolment  is  made 
as  shall  be  approved  by  the  selectmen  there- 
of, and  from  the  city  or  borough  for  which 
the  enrolment  is  made  such  sums  as  shall 
be  approved  by  its  common  council  or  war- 
den and  burgesses,  or,  where  town  and  city 
governments  are  consolidated,  such  sums 
as  shall  be  approved  by  the  common  council 
of  such  city. 

Approved  July   19,    1905. 


§  1729.  Examination  and  approval  of 
machines.  Any  person  owning  or  being 
interested  in  any  voting  machine  may  apply 
to  the  state  board  of  voting  machine  com- 
missioners to  examine  such  machine  and 
report  on  its  accuracy  and  efficiency.  The 
commissioners  shall  examine  the  machine 
and  their  report  shall  be  filed  in  the  office 
of  the  secretary  of  state,  and  it  shall  state 
whether,  in  their  opinion,  the  kind  of  ma- 
chine so  examined  can  be  safely  used  by 
voters  at  elections,  under  the  conditions 
prescribed  in  this  chapter.  If  the  commis- 
sioners unanimously  report  that  the  ma- 
chine can  be  so  used,  then  such  machine 
may  be  adopted  for  use  at  town,  city,  and 
borough  elections  as  provided  in  this  chap- 
ter.    No  machine  not  so  approved  shall  be 

Ti5 


used  at  any  election.  Each  commissioner 
shall  be  entitled  to  one  hundred  dollars  for 
his  compensation  and  expenses  in  making 
the  examination  and  report  on  each  ma- 
chine, to  be  paid  by  the  person  applying  for 
such  examination. 


§  1730.  Requirements  of  voting  ma- 
chine. A  voting  machine  approved  by  the 
state  board  of  voting  machine  commission- 
ers must  be  so  constructed  as  to  provide 
facilities  for  voting  for  the  candidates  of 
at  least  seven  different  parties  or  organiza- 
tions. It  must  be  provided  with  a  single 
straight  ticket  device  for  each  of  said 
parties,  by  the  use  of  which  a  voter  may 
vote,  for  all  the  candidates  of  that  party, 
and  must  permit  a  voter  to  vote  for  any 
person  for  any  office,  whether  or  not  nom- 
inated as  a  candidate  by  any  party  or  or- 
ganization, and  must  permit  voting  in  ab- 
solute secrecy.  Such  machine  shall  be  so 
constructed  that  a  voter  cannot  vote  for  a 
candidate  or  on  a  proposition  for  whom  or 
on  which  he  is  not  lawfully  entitled  to  vote. 
It  must  be  so  constructed  as  to  prevent  a 
voter  from  voting  for  more  than  one  per- 
son for  the  same  office,  except  where  he  is 
lawfully  entitled  to  vote  for  more  than  one 
person  for  that  office,  and  it  must  afford 
him  an  opportunity  to  vote  for  only  as 
many  persons  for  that  office  as  he  is  by 
116 


law  entitled  to  vote  for,  at  the  same  time 
preventing  his  voting  for  the  same  person 
twice.  It  must  be  so  constructed  that  all 
votes  cast  will  be  registered  or  recorded  by 
the  machine,  and  must  be  provided  with  a 
lock  by  means  of  which  any  movement  of 
the  voting  or  registering  mechanism  is  ab- 
solutely prevented. 

§  1731.  Municipalities  may  adopt  vot- 
ing machine.  Any  town,  city,  or  borough 
may  adopt  and  purchase  or  lease,  for  use 
at  elections  in  such  town,  city,  or  borough, 
any  kind  of  voting  machine  approved  by 
the  state  board  of  voting  machine  commis- 
sioners, and  thereafter  such  voting  machine 
may  be  used  at  any  or  all  elections  held  in 
such  town,  city,  or  borough,  or  in  any  part 
thereof,  for  voting,  registering,  and  count- 
ing votes  cast  at  elections  for  town,  city, 
or  borough  officers,  but  at  no  other  elec- 
tions. Different  voting  machines  may  be 
adopted  for  different  voting  districts  in  the 
same  town,  city,  or  borough. 

CHAPTER  207. 

An   Act   Establishing   a    Board   of   Voting 

Machine  Commissioners  and  Defining 

its    Duties. 

Be  it  enacted  by  the  Senate  and  House  of 
Representatives  in  General  Assembly 
convened: 
Section  1.    The  governor  shall,  on  or  be- 
117 


fore  July  i,  1903,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
appoint  a  state  board  of  voting  machine 
commissioners,  to  be  composed  of  three  per- 
sons, to  serve  for  a  term  of  two  years 
from  the  first  day  of  July,  1903,  not  more 
than  two  of  whom  shall  belong  to  the  same 
political  party  and  at  least  two  of  whom 
shall  be  mechanical  experts,  and  whose 
duties  shall  be  as  provided  in  section  1729 
of  the  general  statutes.  This  act  shall  not 
affect  the  present  voting  machine  commis- 
sioners, who  shall  serve  to  the  end  of  the 
term  for  which  they  were  appointed,  but 
shall  apply  to  all  their  successors  in  office. 
Sec.  2.  The  board  of  selectmen  of  all 
towns  adopting  voting  machines  shall,  as 
soon  as  practicable  thereafter,  provide  for 
each  polling  place  one  or  more  voting  ma- 
chines in  complete  working  order,  and 
shall  thereafter  preserve  and  keep  them  in 
repair,  and  shall  have  the  custody  thereof 
when  not  in  use  at  an  election,  and  shall 
also  have  the  care  and  custody  of  the  furn- 
iture and  equipment  of  the  polling  place 
when  not  in  use  at  an  election.  If  it  shall 
be  impracticable  to  supply  each  and  every 
election  district  with  a  voting  machine  at 
any  election  following  such  adoption,  as 
many  shall  be  supplied  as  it  is  practicable 
to  procure,  and  the  same  may  be  used  in 
such  election  district  or  districts  within  the 
city,  town,  or  borough  as  the  selectmen 
may  direct. 

118 


Sec.  3.  After  the  adoption  and  purchase 
of  voting  machines,  the  board  of  selectmen 
or  other  officials  having  charge  of  the  vot- 
ing machine  or  machines  shall  appoint  a 
suitable  mechanic  or  mechanics  to  place  and 
adjust  such  machines  and  otherwise  pre- 
pare them  for  election  under  the  direction 
of  such  officials.  Such  mechanic  or  me- 
chanics shall  be  allowed  such  assistance  as 
may  be  necessary.  Such  mechanic  or  me- 
chanics shall  file  a  written  report  of  the  con- 
dition of  each  machine  as  it  is  prepared 
prior  to  the  election,  certifying  that  the 
machine  has  been  prepared  by  him  or  them, 
that  all  the  counters  are  set  at  zero  (000), 
that  all  the  ballot  labels  are  properly  placed 
thereon,  that  the  grouping  mechanism  has 
been  properly  adjusted  according  to  the 
ballot  labels,  and  that  it  is  otherwise  in 
readiness  for  the  election,  giving  the  num- 
ber of  the  machine  and  the  make  thereof, 
and  other  details  of  interest  and  import- 
ance, and  reporting  any  defects  or  features 
of  the  machine  that  need  attention  or  cor- 
rection. Blanks  for  such  reports  shall  be 
furnished  by  the  secretary  of  the  state. 
Said  mechanic  or  mechanics  shall  also  place 
upon  each  of  the  machines  a  seal,  sealed 
with  sealing  wax,  in  such  a  way  that  be- 
fore any  movement  of  the  registering  or 
voting  mechanism  can  be  effected  such  seal 
will  be  destroyed  or  broken.  Such  seal  shall 
be   signed  by   the   mechanic   or   mechanics. 

119 


Written  notice  shall  be  given  to  the  chair- 
man of  the  town  committees  of  the  two 
leading  political  parties  that,  on  a  certain 
day,  at  a  certain  place,  a  mechanic  or  me- 
chanics will  begin  the  preparation  of  the 
machines  for  the  election,  and  watchers 
designated  by  them  may  be  present  during 
the  preparation  of  such  machines,  but  such 
watchers  shall  not  interfere  with  the  prepa- 
ration of  the  machines,  nor  assist  in  the 
preparation  of  them.  Such  notice  shall  be 
given  at  least  one  day  before  the  work  on 
the  preparation  of  such  machines  shall  be- 
gin. The  reports  of  the  mechanics  shall  be 
filed  with  the  city  or  town  clerk,  and  shall 
be  kept  by  him  for  at  least  two  months 
after  the  election  for  which  the  machines 
were  so  prepared.  The  mechanic  or  me- 
chanics shall  have  custody  of  the  keys  of 
the  machines  only  when  they  are  at  work 
on  the  machine,  and  immediately  thereafter 
such  keys  shall  be  returned  to  the  city  or 
town  clerk.  The  return  of  such  keys  shall, 
in  every  case,  be  made  before  the  day  of 
the   election. 

Sec.  4.  The  board  of  selectmen  shall 
provide  for  all  polling  places  using  voting 
machines  at  least  two  sample  ballots  which 
shall  be  arranged  in  the  form  of  a  diagram 
showing  the  entire  front  of  the  voting  ma- 
chine, as  it  will  appear  after  the  official 
ballots  are  arranged  for  voting  on  election 
day.     Such  sample  ballots*  shall  be  open  to 

120 


public  inspection  at  such  polling  place  dur- 
ing the  whole  day  of  election. 

Sec.  5.  That  portion  of  cardboard,  paper, 
or  other  material,  placed  on  the  front  of 
the  machine,  containing  the  names  of  the 
candidates,  or  a  statement  of  a  proposed 
constitutional  amendment  or  other  question 
or  proposition  to  be  voted  on,  shall  be 
known  in  this  act  as  a  ballot  label.  Each 
party  shall  furnish  its  own  ballot  labels  for 
the  voting  machine,  and  such  ballot  labels 
shall  be  printed  in  black  ink,  in  plain  clear 
type,  on  clear  white  material,  and  of  such 
size  as  will  fit  the  machine,  according  to  the 
form  of  ballot  labels  and  instructions  to  be 
furnished  by  the  town  clerk.  Such  ballot 
labels  shall  contain  the  names  of  the  of- 
fices and  the  names  of  the  candidates,  ar- 
ranged thereon  in  the  order  given  on  the 
form  of  ballot  label  which  shall  be  pre- 
pared and  furnished  by  the  town  clerk. 
The  ballot  labels  of  the  various  political 
parties  shall  be  approved  and  accepted  by 
the  town  clerk  not  less  than  three  days  prior 
to  the  election,  and  the  printing  thereof 
shall  be  uniform  in  style  with  the  samples 
furnished  by  said  town  clerk  to  the  various 
political  parties.  Four  of  each  of  said  bal- 
lot labels  printed  on  cardboard  shall  be 
furnished  for  each  machine  to  be  used  in 
the  election ;  and  six  additional  labels  print- 
ed on  paper  shall  also  be  furnished  by 
said    political    parties    for   the    purpose    of 

121 


making  up  the  sample  ballot  diagrams  here- 
inbefore provided  for.  The  names  of  the 
political  parties  shall  be  arranged  on  the 
machine,  either  in  columns  or  horizontal 
rows,  in  the  order  of  size  as  determined  by 
the  number  of  votes  received  by  each  party 
in  the  last  general  election.  The  name 
of  the  political  party  polling  the  largest 
number  of  votes  for  the  head  of  the  ticket 
shall  come  first,  and  that  of  the  party 
polling  the  next  largest  number  of  votes 
for  the  same  office  shall  come  second,  and 
so  on.  Where  two  or  more  candidates  are 
to  be  elected  to  an  office,  the  ballot  label 
shall  be  printed  in  such  manner  as  to  in- 
dicate that  the  voter  can  vote  for  any  two, 
or  for  such  other  number  as  he  may  be 
lawfully  entitled  to  vote  for,  out  of  the 
whole  number  of  candidates  nominated  for 
such  office.  Each  ballot  label  shall  have 
printed  close  to  the  margin  thereof,  in  small 
type,  the  name  of  the  town  or  city  where  it 
is  to  be  used,  and  if  it  is  to  be  used  in  only 
a  part  thereof  it  shall  also  give  the  name 
of  the  largest  .  civil  or  political  division 
thereof  to  which  it  is  common.  At  least 
four  complete  sets  of  ballot  labels  shall  be 
printed  for  each  machine. 

Sec.  6.  Suitable  ballots  for  voting  split 
tickets  for  presidential  electors  on  voting 
machines  shall  be  printed  and  furnished 
for  presidential  elections  by  the  secretary 
of  the  state.     Such  ballots  shall  be  uniform 


for  each  kind  of  machine  in  use  through- 
out the  state,  and  shall  be  of  such  size  and 
kind  as  is  best  suited  to  the  requirements 
of  the  machine  in  connection  with  which 
it  is  to  be  used,  which  size  and  kind  may 
be  determined  by  the  secretary  of  the  state. 

Sec.  7.  The  town  clerk  shall,  in  each 
case,  prepare  and  furnish  blanks  for  a  re- 
port of  an  inspection  of  the  machines  by 
the  moderator,  registrars,  and  checkers, 
which  inspection  shall  be  made  before  the 
opening  of  the  polls ;  and  shall  also  pre- 
pare and  furnish  to  the  election  officials 
tally  and  return  blanks  containing  the  names 
of  all  candidates  for  office  on  the  official 
ballots,  in  such  manner  as  may  be  directed 
by  the  secretary  of  the  state,  except  that 
the  secretary  of  the  state  shall  furnish 
throughout  the  state  all  blanks  that  are 
uniform  in  their  printing. 

Sec.  8.  The  city  or  town  officials  shall, 
before  the  day  of  election,  cause  the  proper 
ballot  labels  to  be  put  upon  each  machine 
corresponding  with  the  sample  diagrams 
herein  provided  for,  and  the  machine  in 
every  way  to  be  put  in  order,  and  set  and 
adjusted  ready  for  use  in  voting  when  de- 
livered at  the  precinct ;  and  for  the  purpose 
of  so  labeling  the  machine,  putting  in  order, 
and  setting  and  adjusting  the  same,  they 
may  employ  one  or  more  competent  per- 
sons as  hereinbefore  directed,  and  cause 
him  or  them  to  be  paid  in  the  same  manner 

123 


that  other  expenses  incurred  by  said  of- 
ficials are  paid.  And  the  city  or  town 
officials  shall  cause  the  machine  so  labeled, 
in  order,  and  set  and  adjusted,  to  be  de- 
livered at  the  voting  precinct,  together  with 
all  necessary  furniture  and  appliances  that 
go  with  the  same,  at  the  room  where  the 
election  is  to  be  held  in  the  precinct  not 
later  than  six  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  of 
the  day  preceding  the  election.  Six  candles 
shall  be  furnished  with  each  machine  to 
facilitate  reading  the  counters  thereof.  All 
machines  shall  be  boxed  and  collected  im- 
mediately on  the  day  after  election  or  as 
soon  thereafter  as  possible,  and  shall  be 
stored  in  such  place  or  places  as  may  be 
directed  by  the  city  or  town  officials.  No 
machine  that  has  been  adopted  and  pur- 
chased, while  on  exhibition  before  an  elec- 
tion, or  during  an  election,  shall  have  its 
counter  compartment  opened,  but  the  count- 
er compartment  of  all  voting  machines  shall 
be  kept  closed  and  locked  except  for  the 
purpose  of  canvassing  the  vote  after  elec- 
tions, or  when  it  shall  be  opened  by  order 
of  court,  or  when  it  may  otherwise  be  nec- 
essary to  open  it  to  reset  the  counters  or 
test  the  machine.  The  election  officials 
of  each  polling  place  shall  consist  of  not 
more  than  one  moderator,  two  checkers, 
two  deputy  registrars,  two  challengers,  and 
two  voting  machine  tenders,  and,  if  more 
than  one  machine  is  used  in  a  polling  place, 

124 


two  additional  voting  machine  tenders  shall 
be  appointed  for  each  additional  machine 
so  used. 

Sec.  9.  The  room  in  which  the  election 
is  held  shall  have  a  railing  separating  the 
part  of  the  room  to  be  occupied  by  the 
election  officials  and  the  machine  from  the 
part  of  the  room  adjacent  to  the  entrance 
thereof.  A  guard  rail  may  be  provided 
separating  the  machine  from  the  election 
officials,  and  the  machine  shall  be  placed, 
if  possible,  at  least  three  feet  from  every 
wall  or  partition  or  guard  rail  of  the  poll- 
ing place,  and  at  least  four  feet  from  the 
checkers'  table.  The  exterior  of  the  voting 
machine  and  every  part  of  the  polling  place 
shall  be  in  plain  view  of  the  election  of- 
ficials. The  machine  shall  be  so  placed 
that  no  'person  outside  of  the  voting  ma- 
chine booth  from  any  part  of  the  room  or 
from  any  place  outside  of  the  room  can  see 
or  determine  how  the  voter  casts  his  vote. 

Sec.  10.  The  moderator  of  each  precinct 
in  which  a  voting  machine  is  to  be  used 
shall  appear  at  the  office  of  the  city  or  town 
clerk  not  later  than  noon  of  the  day  before 
election,  and  there  receive  from  the  city 
or  town  clerk  the  sample  ballot  diagram, 
three  complete  sets  of  ballot  labels,  and  all 
check  lists  and  other  supplies  of  whatever 
character  necessary  to  conduct  the  election 
in  his  precinct  and  make  return  thereof. 
He  shall  also  receive  the  keys  for  the  vot- 

125 


ing  machine,  and  receipt  therefor,  giving 
the  number  of  the  machine  to  which  said 
keys  belong.  On  the  morning  of  the  elec- 
tion, the  election  officials  shall  meet  at  the 
room  where  the  election  is  to  be  held  at 
least  forty-five  minutes  before  the  time  for 
opening  the  polls.  The  moderator  shall 
then  cause  the  three  sample  ballot  diagrams 
and  instruction  cards  to  be  posted  and 
everything  put  in  readiness  for  the  com- 
mencement of  voting  at  the  hour  of  open- 
ing the  polls.  The  election  officials,  in  the 
presence  of  the  party  watchers,  shall  com- 
pare the  ballot  labels  on  the  machine  with 
the  sample  ballot  diagrams  to  see  that  they 
are  correct,  and,  if  the  machine  is  not  so 
labeled,  set  and  adjusted,  and  in  order,  they 
shall  immediately  label,  set  and  adjust  the 
same,  and  place  it  in  order,  or  cause  it  to 
be  done,  examine  and  see  that  all  the 
counters  in  the  machine  are  set  at  zero 
(ooo)  and  that  the  machine  is  otherwise 
in  perfect  order,  and  make  written  report 
thereof  as  hereinbefore  directed,  and  they 
shall  not  thereafter  permit  the  counters  to 
be  operated  or  moved  except  by  electors  in 
voting;  and  they  shall  also  see  that  all  nec- 
essary arrangements  and  adjustments  are 
made  for  voting  irregular  ballots  on  the 
machine,  and  that  the  machine  and  its 
attach m  nts  are  properly  set  or  adjusted  so 
that  the  voter  will  be  concealed  while  in 
the  act  of  voting.     At  least  two  members 

126 


of  the  election  officials,  of  opposite  politics, 
standing  at  the  machine,  shall,  before  the 
beginning  of  the  election,  call  off  from  each 
counter  on  the  machine,  and  the  checkers 
shall  record  on  the  tally  and  return  sheets 
provided  by  the  town  clerk  the  figures  in- 
dicated by  the  wheels  or  dials  of  the  count- 
er on  such  machine.  Such  tally  sheets  shall 
be  signed  and  sworn  to  by  the  election  of- 
ficials and  shall  constitute  a  record  of  the 
actual  indication  of  the  counters  at  the 
beginning  of  the  election,  and  such  tally 
sheets  shall  be  filed  with  the  town  clerk, 
with  the  official  returns.  These  tally  and 
return  sheets  need  not  contain  the  names 
of  the  candidates,  nor  of  the  parties,  nor 
of  the  offices  voted  for.  All  counters  on 
the  machine  shall  be  set  at  zero  (ooo)  at 
the  beginning  of  the  election  and  the  report 
should  so  state.  If  any  of  the  counters 
are  not  set  at  zero  and  the  election  officials 
are  not  able  to  set  them  at  zero,  the  actual 
number  registered  or  indicated  on  said 
.ounters  shall  be  entered  on  said  tall} 
sheet,  and  at  the  end  of  the  election  that 
number  shall  be  deducted  from  the  number 
then  shown  on  the  counter  to  ascertain  the 
crue  vote  cast  for  the  candidate  to  whom 
~uch  counter  belongs.  The  mechanic's  seal 
~>n  the  machine  shall  not  be  broken  until  the 
offi<  ials  have  assembled  on  the  morning 
of  the  election.  The  officials  shall  examine 
the  seal  before  breaking  it. 

127 


Sec.  II.  During  the  entire  period  of  an 
election,  at  least  one  of  the  election  of- 
ficials, to  be  designated  from  time  to  time 
by  the  moderator,  shall  be  stationed  beside 
the  entrance  to  the  booth,  to  regulate  the 
admission  of  voters  thereto,  and  shall  see 
that  it  is  properly  closed  after  a  voter  has 
entered  it  to  vote;  he  shall  also,  at  such 
intervals  as  he  may  deem  proper  or  nec- 
essary, examine  the  face  of  the  machine  to 
ascertain  whether  it  has  been  defaced  or 
injured  and  to  detect  the  wrongdoer  and 
repair  the  injury.  In  case  any  voting  ma- 
chine used  in  any  election  district  shall,  dur- 
ing the  time  the  polls  are  open,  become  in- 
jured so  as  to  render  it  inoperative  in  whole 
or  in  part,  it  shall  be  the  duty  of  the  mod- 
erator immediately  to  give  notice  thereof 
to  the  officials  providing  such  machine,  and 
it  shall  be  the  duty  of  such  officials,  if  pos- 
sible, to  substitute  a  perfect  machine 
for  the  injured  machine,  and,-  at  the 
close  of  the  polls,  the  records  of  both 
machines  shall  be  taken,  and  the  votes 
shown  on  their  counters  shall  be  added  to- 
gether in  ascertaining  and  determining  the 
result  of  the  election;  but  if  no  other  ma- 
chine can  be  procured  for  use  at  such  elec- 
tion and  the  one  injured  cannot  be  repaired 
in  time  for  further  use  at  such  election, 
the  officials  of  said  election  may  permit 
the  use  of  unofficial  ballots  by  the  voters, 
which  ballots  shall  be  received  by  the  elec- 

128 


tion  officials  and  placed  by  them  in  a  re- 
ceptacle to  be  provided  therefor  and  counted 
with  the  votes  registered  on  the  voting  ma- 
chine and  the  result  declared  the  same  as 
though  there  had  been  no  accident  to  the 
voting  machine;  the  unofficial  ballots  thus 
voted  shall  be  preserved  and  returned  as 
hereinafter  directed  with  a  certificate  or 
statement  setting  forth  how  and  why  the 
same  came  to  be  voted.  After  the  open- 
ing of  the  polls  no  election  official  shall 
allow  any  person  other  than  the  election  of- 
ficials to  pass  within  the  railing  to  the  part 
of  the  room  where  the  machine  is  situated, 
except  for  the  purpose  of  voting  or  ex- 
cept as  provided  in  the  succeeding  sections 
of  this  act;  and  they  shall  not  permit 
more  than  one  voter  at  a  time  to  be  in 
such  part  of  the  room.  They  shall  not 
themselves  remain  or  permit  any  person  to 
remain  in  any  position  or  near  any  posi- 
tion that  would  permit  him  to  see  or  as- 
certain how  the  voter  votes  or  how  he  has 
voted.  No  voter  shall  remain  within  the 
voting  machine  booth  or  compartment 
longer  than  one  minute,  and,  if  he  shall 
refuse  to  leave  it  after  the  lapse  of  that 
time,  he  shall  at  once  be  removed  by  the 
election  officials  or  upon  order  of  the 
moderator. 

Sec.  12.  The  voting  machine  shall  be 
so  placed,  as  far  as  possible,  as  to  be  in 
view  of  the  public  from  the  time  of  the  be- 

129 


ginning  of  the  election,  and  the  election 
officials  shall  be  so  stationed  that  no  mem- 
ber thereof  shall  be  concealed  by  the 
machine  from  the  public.  The  moderator, 
or  some  one  designated  by  him,  shall  be 
stationed  near  the  machine,  shall  regulate 
the  admission  of  the  voters  thereto,  and 
shall  always  be  in  full  view  of  the  other 
election  officials,  the  party  watchers,  and,  as 
far  as  possible,     of  the  public. 

Sec.  13.  When  voting  machines  are  used 
in  any  precinct,  a  metal  dummy  shall  be 
provided  at  the  polling  place  therein, 
which  dummy  shall  represent  five  office  lines 
of  the  two  principal  party  rows,  and  shall 
correspond  in  all  respects  to  the  aforesaid 
equivalent  parts  on  the  keyboard  of  the 
voting  machine.  This  dummy  shall  be 
suitable  for  the  instruction  of  voters,  so 
that  a  voter  having  voted  on  the  dummy 
will  be  able  to  vote  on  the  machine,  and 
the  operation  of  the  dummy  shall  be  the 
same  in  outward  appearance  as  the  opera- 
tion of  the  machine.  The  election  officials 
shall  instruct  the  voters  on  the  dummy  by 
causing  the  voters  themselves  to  operate 
the  parts  thereof. 

Sec.  14.  When  a  voter  has  entered  the 
election  room,  he  shall  announce  his 
name  to  the  checkers  in  the  presence  of 
the  election  officials,  and  each  of  the 
checkers  shall  check  his  name  on  the  check 
list  in  his  possession.       If  not  challenged 

130 


by  any  member  of  the  election  officials,  the 
voter  shall  then  be  permitted  to  pass  the 
railing  to  the  side  where  the  machine  is 
and  into  the  voting  booth  or  compartment, 
and  he  shall  then  register  his  vote  in 
secret  Having  done  so  he  shall  im- 
mediately pass  out  and  leave  the  room. 
Not  more  than  one  voter  shall  be  per- 
mitted to  operate  the  machine  at  a  time 
or  be  within  the  enclosed  space  which  the 
voter  must  occupy  while  operating  the 
machine.  But  at  least  two  additional 
voters,  whose  next  turn  it  is  to  vote,  shall 
be  permitted  in  the  polling  place  for  the 
purpose  of  receiving  instruction  before 
voting  on  the  machine.  In  case  any 
voter,  after  entering  the  voting  machine 
booth,  shall  ask  for  further  instructions 
concerning  the  manner  of  voting,  two 
election  officials  of  opposite  political  parties 
shall  stand  outside  the  voting  machine 
booth,  canopy  or  curtain,  and  give  such 
instruction  or  directions  to  the  voter  as 
the  two  inspectors  may  agree  upon;  but 
no  election  official  instructing  or  assisting 
a  voter  shall  in  any  manner  request,  sug- 
gest, or  seek  to  influence,  persuade,  or  con- 
trol any  such  voter  to  vote  any  particular 
ticket,  or  for  or  against  any  particular  can- 
didate or  for  or  against  any  particular 
amendment,  question  or  proposition.  After 
receiving  such  instructions     or     directions 

131 


the  voter  shall  vote  as  in  the  case  of     an 
unassisted  voter. 

Sec.  15.  If  any  voter  by  reason  of  physi- 
cal disability  is  unable  to  register  his  vote 
upon  the  machine,  he  may  be  accompanied 
into  the  voting  booth  by  two  election  of- 
ficials of  opposite  parties  and  there  declare 
his  choice  of  candidates  to  such  officials, 
who,  in  his  presence  and  in  the  presence  of 
each  other,  shall  register  his  vote  upon  the 
machine  for  the  candidate  of  his  choice. 
Any  election  official  who  shall  deceive  any 
elector  in  registering  his  vote  under  this 
section,  or  who  shall  register  his  vote  in 
any  other  way  than  as  requested  by  such 
person,  or  who  shall  give  information  to 
any  person  as  to  what  ticket  or  for  what 
person  or  persons  such  person  voted,  shall 
be  guilty  of  a  felony,  and  on  conviction 
shall  be  imprisoned  not  more  than  five 
years. 
.  Sec.  16.  Ballots  voted  for  any  person 
whose  name  does  not  appear  on  the  bal- 
lot label  on  the  machine  as  a  candidate  for 
office  are  herein  referred  to  as  irregular  bal- 
lots. Where  two  or  more  candidates  are 
to  be  elected  to  the  same  office,  the  voting 
devices  belonging  to  all  the  candidates  for 
said  office  shall  be  included  in  a  group 
herein  referred  to  as  a  multicandidate 
group.  Except  for  presidential  electors 
and  except  in  multicandidate  groups. 
where   the   irregular   balloting   device      re- 

132 


quires  otherwise,  no  irregular  ballot  shall 
be  voted  for  any  person  for  any  office 
whose  name  appears  on  the  ballot  label  on 
the  front  of  the  machine  as  a  candidate  for 
that  office.  Any  irregular  ballot  so  voted 
shall  not  be  counted.  An  irregular  ballot 
shall  be  cast  in  its  appropriate  place  on 
the  machine  or  it  shall  be  void  and  not 
counted.  In  voting  for  presidential  elec- 
tors, an  elector  may  vote  an  irregular 
ticket  made  up  of  the  names  of  persons  in 
nomination  by  different  parties,  or  partially 
of  the  names  of  persons  so  in  nomination 
and  partially  of  the  names  of  persons  not 
in  nomination,  or  wholly  of  names  of  per- 
sons not  in  nomination  by  any  party.  Such 
irregular  ballot  shall  be  deposited,  written, 
or  affixed  in  or  upon  the  receptacle  or  de- 
vice provided  on  the  machine  for  that 
purpose. 

Sec.  17.  Immediately  on  the  close  of  the 
polls  the  election  officials  shall  proceed  to 
canvass  the  returns,  and  they  shall  not  stop 
for  any  purpose  until  the  canvass  is  com- 
pleted. The  room  in  which  such  canvass 
is  made  shall  be  clearly  lighted,  and  such 
canvass  shall  be  made  in  plain  view  of  the 
public.  It  shall  not  be  lawful  for  any 
person  or  persons,  during  the  canvass,  to 
close,  or  cause  to  be  closed,  the  main  en- 
trance to  the  room  in  which  such  canvass 
is  conducted  in  such  manner  as  to  pre- 
vent ingress  or  egress  thereby.       But  dur- 

133 


ing  said  canvass  no  person  other  than 
the  election  officials  or  party  watchers  shall 
be  permitted  to  be  on  the  side  of  the  guard 
rail  where  the  machine  is  located. 

Sec.  18.  As  soon  as  the  polls  of  the 
election  are  closed,  the  moderator,  in  the 
presence  of  the  other  election  officials,  shall 
immediately  lock  the  voting  machine 
against  voting,  and,  without  turning  said 
machine  around  and  without  otherwise 
moving  said  machine  more  than  is  neces- 
sary to  get  access  to  the  counters,  shall  im- 
mediately open  the  counting  compartments, 
giving  a  full  view  of  all  the  counter  num- 
bers to  all  the  election  officials  present. 
The  moderator  shall,  in  order  of  the  offices 
as  their  titles  are  arranged  on  the  ma- 
chine, read  and  announce  in  distinct  tones 
the  result  as  shown  by  the  counter  num- 
bers, giving  the  number  indicated  by  each 
counter,  and  indicating  the  candidate  to 
whom  such  counter  belongs,  and  shall 
read  the  votes  recorded  for  each  office  on 
the  regular  ballots.  He  shall  also,  in 
the  same  manner,  announce  the  vote  on 
each  constitutional  amendment,  proposition, 
or  other  question  voted  on.  The  vote  so 
announced  by  the  moderator  shall  be  taken 
down  by  each  checker  and  recorded  on  the 
tally  sheets.  They  shall  record  the  num- 
ber of  votes  received  for  each  candidate  on 
the  regular  ticket  and  also  the  number  re- 
ceived by  each    person    on    the    irregular 

134 


ticket.  Additional  instruction  for  the 
canvassing,  recording,  and  announcing  of 
the  result  shall  be  furnished  by  the  secre- 
tary of  the  state,  and  the  election  officials 
shall  be  guided  thereby. 

Sec.  19.  The  moderator,  as  soon  as  the 
count  is  completed  and  fully  ascertained  as 
in  this  act  required,  shall  close  and  lock  the 
counting  compartments ;  and  the  machine 
shall  remain  locked  against  voting  or  being 
tampered  with  for  a  period  of  twenty  days. 
When  irregular  ballots  have  been  voted, 
the  moderator  shall  return  all  of  such  bal- 
lots in  a  properly  secured  sealed  package, 
endorsed  "irregular  ballots,"  and  indicating 
thereon  the  precinct  and  ward,  and  file 
such  package  with  the  city  or  town  clerk. 
It  shall  be  preserved  for  six  months  after 
such  election  and  may  be  opened  and  its 
contents  examined  only  upon  an  order  of 
a  court  of  competent  jurisdiction.  At  the 
end  of  six  months,  unless  ordered  other- 
wise by  the  court,  such  package  and  its 
contents  may  be  destroyed.  Any  person, 
who  shall  unlock  the  voting  or  operating 
mechanism  of  the  machine  or  the  counting 
compartment,  after  they  have  been  locked 
as  above  directed,  or  break  or  destroy  or 
tamper  with  the  seal  after  it  has  been  af- 
fixed as  above  directed,  or  change  the  in- 
dication of  the  counters  on  any  voting  ma- 
chine within  twenty  days  after  the  election 
or  within  any  longer  period  during  which 

135 


the  machine  shall  be  kept  locked,  as  may 
be  prescribed  or  ordered  by  a  court  of 
competent  jurisdiction  in  any  special  case, 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  felony.  Any 
machine  may  be  released  in  less  than 
twenty  days  for  use  in  another  election  by 
order  of  a  court,  if  there  is  no  disagree- 
ment as  to  the  returns  from  such  ma- 
chine. 

Sec.  20.  When  the  machine  is  locked  at 
the  close  of  an  election  in  the  manner  re- 
quired by  this  act,  the  moderator  shall  place 
all  keys  of  the  machine  on  a  strong  and 
sufficient  string  or  wire,  label  the  same 
with  the  make  and  number  of  the  ma- 
chine and  precinct  at  which  used  at  such 
election,  and  return  such  keys  to  the  city 
or  town  clerk  with  the  official  returns. 
The  city  or  town  clerk  shall  securely  keep 
such  keys  and  not  permit  the  same  to  be 
taken  or  any  voting  machine  unlocked,  for 
a  period  of  twenty  days  from  the  election, 
unless  otherwise  ordered  by  a  court  of 
competent  jurisdiction. 

Sec.  21.  All  laws  of  this  state  applicable 
to  elections  where  voting  is  done  otherwise 
than  by  machines,  and  all  penalties  pre- 
scribed for  violation  of  such  laws,  shall  ap- 
ply to  elections  and  precincts  where  voting 
machines  are  used  in  so  far  as  they  are  not 
in  conflict  with  the  provisions  of  this  act. 
And  voting  machines  may  be  purchased  by 
boroughs  or  used  in  borough  elections,     in 

T36 


which  case  the  duties  and  privileges  of  the 
various  town  and  city  officials  herein 
specified  shall  be  exercised  by  the  cor- 
responding borough  officials. 

Sec.  22.  Any  public  officer  or  any  elec- 
tion official  upon  whom  any  duty  is  im- 
posed by  this  act,  who  shall  wilfully  omit 
or  neglect  to  perform  such  duties,  or  shall 
do  any  act  prohibited  herein  for  which  pun- 
ishment is  not  otherwise  provided  herein, 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  two  thousand 
dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more  than  three 
years,  or  both. 

Sec.  23.  Any  person  not  being  an  elec- 
tion official,  who,  during  any  election,  or 
before  any  election,  after  a  voting  machine 
has  had  placed  upon  it  the  ballot  label  for 
such  election,  shall  tamper  with  such  ma- 
chines, disarrange,  deface,  injure,  or  im- 
pair the  same  in  any  manner,  or  mutilate, 
injure,  or  destroy  any  ballot  label  placed 
thereon  or  to  be  placed  thereon  or  any 
other  appliance  used  in  connection  with 
such  machine,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a 
felony  and  shall  be  imprisoned  for  not 
more  than  five  years. 

Sec.  24.  Any  person  who  shall  know- 
ingly or  wilfully  make  a  false  affidavit,  un- 
der any  of  the  provisions  of  this  act, 
shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  perjury. 

Sec.  25.  Any  person  who  shall  induce 
or  attempt  to  induce  any  elector  to  write, 
paste,  or  otherwise  place  on  an   irregular 

137 


ballot  voted  on  a  voting  machine  at  any 
election,  any  name,  sign,  or  device  of  any 
kind  as  a  distinguishing  mark  by  which  to 
indicate  to  another  how  such  elector  has 
voted;  or  shall  enter  into  or  attempt  to 
form  any  agreement  or  conspiracy  with  any 
person  to  induce  or  attempt  to  induce  elect- 
ors, or  any  elector,  to  so  place  any  dis- 
tinguishing mark  on  such  ballot;  or  shall 
attempt  to  induce  any  elector  to  do  any- 
thing with  a  view  to  enabling  another  per- 
son to  see  or  know  for  what  ticket  or  for 
what  persons,  or  any  of  them,  such  elector 
votes  on  such  machine;  or  shall  enter  into 
or  attempt  to  form  any  agreement  or  con- 
spiracy to  induce  any  elector  to  do  any- 
thing for  the  purpose  of  enabling  another 
person  or  persons  to  see  or  know  what 
ticket,  or  for  what  person  or  persons,  such 
elector  votes;  or  shall  attempt  to  induce 
any  person  to  place  himself  in  such  posi- 
tion or  to  do  any  other  thing  that  will 
enable  him  to  see  or  know  for  what  ticket 
or  candidates  any  elector  other  than  him- 
self votes  on  such  machine;  or  shall  him- 
self attempt  to  get  in  such  position  or  do 
any  other  thing  so  that  he  will  be  enabled 
to  see  or  know  how  any  elector  other  than 
himself  votes  on  such  machine;  or  shall 
do  or  fail  to  do  anything  which  shall  in- 
vade or  interfere  with  the  secrecy  of  the 
voting  or  cause  the  same  to  be  invaded  or 
interfered  with;  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of 

138 


a  felony  and  shall  be  imprisoned  not  more 
than  five  years. 

Sec.  26.  Any  election  official,  who,  with 
intent  to  cause  or  permit  any  voting  ma- 
chine to  fail  to  correctly  register  all  votes 
cast  thereon,  tampers  with  or  disarranges 
such  machine  in  any  way  or  any  part  or 
appliance  thereof,  or  who  causes  said  ma- 
chine to  be  used  or  consents  to  its  being- 
used  for  voting  at  any  election  with  knowl- 
edge of  the  fact  that  the  same  is  not  in 
order,  or  not  perfectly  set  and  adjusted  so 
that  it  will  correctly  register  all  votes  cast 
thereon,  or  who,  for  the  purpose  of  de- 
frauding or  deceiving  any  voter  or  of  caus- 
ing it  to  be  doubtful  for  what  ticket  or 
candidate  or  candidates  or  proposition  any 
vote  is  cast,  or  causing  it  to  appear  upon 
said  machine  that  votes  cast  for  one  ticket, 
candidates,  or  proposition  were  cast  for 
another  ticket,  candidate,  or  proposition, 
removes,  changes,  or  mutilates  any  ballot 
label  on  said  machine  or  any  part  thereof, 
or  does  any  such  thing,  shall  be  deemed 
guilty  of  a  felony  and  shall  be  fined  not 
more  than  one  thousand  dollars,  or  im- 
prisoned not  more  than  five  years,  or  both. 
Sec.  27.  Any  election  official,  who  shall, 
at  the  close  of  the  polls,  purposely  cause 
the  vote  registered  on  the  machine  to  be 
incorrectly  taken  down  as  to  any  candi- 
date or  proposition  voted  on,  or  who  shall 
knowingly  cause  to  be  made  or  signed  any 
false  statement,  certificate,  or  return  of  any 
139 


kind  of  such  vote,  or  who  shall  knowingly 
consent  to  said  things  or  any  of  them  being 
done,  shall  be  deemed  guilty  of  a  felony 
and  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  one  thou- 
sand dollars,  or  imprisoned  not  more  than 
five  years,  or  both. 

Sec.  28.  Any  person,  who,  with  intent  to 
defraud  voters  of  their  votes,  or  cause  vot- 
ers to  lose  their  votes  or  any  part  or  parts 
thereof,  shall  give  in  any  way  or  shall 
print,  write,  or  circulate  or  shall  cause  to 
be  written,  printed,  or  circulated  any  im- 
proper, false,  misleading,  or  incorrect  in- 
structions or  advices  or  suggestions  of  how 
to  vote  on  the  machine,  the  following  of 
which  or  any  part  of  which  would  cause  any 
voter  or  voters  to  lose  their  votes  or  any 
part  thereof,  or  would  cause  him  or  them  to 
fail  in  whole  or  in  part  to  register  or  record 
the  same  on  the  machine  for  the  candidates 
of  his  or  their  choice,  shall  be  deemed  guilty 
of  u  felony  and  on  conviction  thereof  shall 
be  imprisoned  for  not  more  than  five  years. 

Sec.  29.  The  board  of  selectmen  of  any 
town,  the  common  council  of  any  city,  and 
the  warden  and  burgesses  of  any  borough, 
may  provide  for  the  experimental  use  at 
an  election  in  one  or  more  polling  places 
of  a  machine  approved  by  the  voting  ma- 
chine commissioners,  without  a  formal 
adoption  or  purchase  thereof;  and  its  use 
at  such  election  shall  be  as  valid  for  all 
purposes  as  if  formally  adopted. 

Approved  June  19,  1903. 
140 


§  1793-  Annual  and  special  town  meet- 
ings. There  shall  be  held  in  every  town, 
annually,  a  town  meeting  for  the  election 
of  town  officers,  which  meeting  shall  be 
designated  and  known  as  the  annual  town 
meeting  and  special  town  meetings  may  be 
convened  when  the  selectmen  shall  deem  it 
necessary,  and  they  shall  convene  a  special 
town  meeting  on  application  of  twenty  in- 
habitants qualified  to  vote  in  town  meet- 
ings, within  ten  days  after  receiving  said 
application,  and  town  meetings  may  be 
adjourned  from  time  to  time  as  the  interest 
of  the  town  may  require. 

§  1794.  As  amended  by  Chap.  203, 
Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Annual  meetings  when 
held.  The  town  meetings  shall  be  held  in 
the  town  of  New  Haven  at  the  times  spec- 
ially provided  by  law  for  the  elections  of 
officers  of  the  city  and  town  of  New  Ha- 
ven. The  annual  town  meetings  shall  be 
held  in  the  town  of  Hartford  on  the  first 
Monday*  of  April,  in  the  towns  of  Ansonia 
and  Bridgeport  on  the  first  Tuesday  after 
the  first  Monday  of  November,  in  the  town 
of  Derby  on  the  first  Monday  of  December, 
and  in  every  other  town  on  the  first  Mon- 
day of  October. 

§  1795.  Warnings  of  town,  city,  bor- 
ough, and  other  meetings.    The  warning 

*  Tuesday.    Special  Laws.    Vol.  XIV — page  663. 
141 


of  every  town  meeting,  annual  or  special, 
and  of  every  meeting  of  a  city,  borough, 
school  society,  school  district,  or  other  pub- 
lic community,  or  of  an  ecclesiastical  so- 
ciety, or  of  proprietors  of  common  fields, 
shall  specify  the  objects  for  which  such 
meeting  is  to  be  held.  A  printed  or  writ- 
ten warning  of  any  town  meeting,  signed 
by  the  selectmen,  or  a  majority  of  them, 
and  set  upon  the  signposts  in  the  town, 
or  printed  in  a  newspaper  published  in  said 
town,  at  least  live  days  previous  to  holding 
the  meeting,  including  the  day  that  notice 
is  given,  but  not  including  the  day  of 
holding  said  meeting,  shall  be  sufficient  no- 
tice thereof,  except  in  those  towns  where 
such  warning  is  directed  by  special  charter 
provision,  to  be  otherwise  given;  but  any 
town  may,  at  an  annual  meeting,  designate 
any  other  place  or  places,  in  addition  to 
the  signposts,  at  which  such  warnings 
shall  be  set  up,  and  the  selectmen  shall,  on 
or  before  the  day  of  such  meeting,  cause  a 
copy  of  every  such  warning  to  be  left  with 
the  town  clerk,  who  shall  record  the  same. 
§  1796.  Hour  of  opening  annual  town 
and  electors'  meetings.  Any  town  except 
Hartford,  New  Haven,  Bridgeport,  Water- 
bury,  and  Norwalk  may,  at  any  annual 
town  meeting,  order  that  all  its  annual 
town  meetings  or  its  electors'  meetings  shall 
be  warned,  opened,  and  held  at  six  o'clock 
in  the  morning,  or  at  any  hour  between  six 

142 


and  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning,  and  that 
the  ballot  boxes  for  all  officers  to  be  bal- 
loted for  at  any  of  said  meetings  shall  be 
opened  at  that  time,  and  may  rescind  any 
such  order  at  any  annual  town  meeting. 

§  1797.  Conduct  of  meetings.  Mod- 
erators. All  town  meetings  for  the  election 
of  town  officers  by  ballot  shall  be  held,  con- 
ducted, and  proceeded  with,  as  far  as  may 
be,  in  the  same  manner  as  electors'  meet- 
ings, unless  when  it  is  otherwise  provided 
by  law.  All  towns,  when  lawfully  assem- 
bled for  any  other  purpose  than  the  elec- 
tion of  town  officers,  and  all  societies  and 
other  communities  when  lawfully  assem- 
bled, shall  have  power  to  choose  a  mod- 
erator to  preside  at  said  meetings,  unless 
it  be  by  law  otherwise  specially  provided; 
and  all  questions  arising  in  such  meetings 
shall  be  decided  by  a  major  vote  of  the 
qualified  voters  present  and  voting,  or, 
when  there  shall  be  an  equal  vote,  by  the 
moderator. 

§  1798.  Who  may  vote  for  town  offi- 
cers at  annual  meeting.  At  any  town  meet- 
ing for  the  election  of  town  officers  in  any 
town,  every  person  may  vote  who  has  reg- 
istered as  an  elector  on  the  revised  regis- 
try list  of  the  town  then  last  completed,  and 
who,   by   virtue   of   such    registration,   was 

143 


entitled  to  vote  in  such  town  at  the  elect- 
ors' meeting  then  last  preceding,  unless 
after  such  registration  he  removed  from 
such  town  or  was  convicted  of  a  crime  by 
which  he  forfeited  the  privileges  of  an 
elector;  and  every  person  offering  so  to 
vote,  and  being  challenged  as  to  his  iden- 
tity or  residence,  shall,  before  he  votes, 
prove  his  identity  with  the  person  on  whose 
name  he  offers  to  vote,  or  his  continued 
residence  in  such  town  since  the  comple- 
tion of  said  list,  as  the  case  may  be,  by  the 
testimony,  under  oath,  of  at  least  one  other 
elector.  And  at  any  town  meeting  all  those 
male  citizens  may  vote  who  are  of  the  age 
of  twenty-one  years,  and  who  have  re- 
sided in  the  state  the  one  year,  and  in  the 
town  the  six  months,  next  preceding,  and 
who  have  been  duly  admitted  as  electors  in 
the  town,  or  (unless  restricted  therefrom 
by  a  charter  provision),  who  have  a  free- 
hold estate  not  subject  to  a  mortgage,  rated, 
in  their  own  names,  in  the  common  list  or 
assessment  last  before  completed,  at  three 
hundred  dollars,  or  personal  estate  so  rated 
in  said  list  at  one  hundred  and  fifty  dollars. 


§  1799.  What  women  may  vote  for 
school  officers.  Those  women  whose  names 
appear  upon  the  registry  list  of  women 
voters  shall  be  entitled  to  vote  in  any  meet- 
ing   held    for    choosing    school    officers    or 


144 


upon   any  matter  relating  to   education  or 
to  schools. 

§  1800.  As  amended  by  Chap.  128, 
Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Assessors  and  their 
terms  of  office.  The  town  of  Hartford,  at 
its  annual  meeting  in  the  year  1904,  and 
triennially  thereafter,  and  every  other  town 
except  the  towns  of  Bridgeport,  New  Ha- 
ven, Norwalk,  Waterbury,  East  Hartford, 
Essex,  Norwich,  Middletown,  Glastonbury, 
and  Torrington,  at  its  annual  meeting,  shall 
elect  and  cause  to  be  sworn  not  less  than 
two  nor  more  than  five  assessors.  The  as- 
sessors elected  by  the  town  of  Hartford 
shall  hold  office  for  the  term  of  three  years, 
and  those  elected  by  the  towns  of  Meriden 
and  New  Britain  for  the  term  of  one  year, 
from  the  first  Monday  of  June  next  suc- 
ceeding their  election,  and  until  their  suc- 
cessors shall  be  elected  and  qualified.  In 
each  of  the  towns  of  East  Hartford,  Nor- 
wich, Middletown,  Glastonbury,  and  Tor- 
rington there  shall  be  three  assessors,  and 
in  each  of  said  towns  one  assessor  shall  be 
elected  at  each  annual  town  meeting,  who 
shall  hold  office  for  the  term  of  three 
years  and  until  his  successor  shall  be  elect- 
ed and  qualified ;  the  term  of  said  office 
in  East  Hartford,  Norwich,  Glastonbury, 
and  Torrington  shall  commence  on  the 
day  of  election ;  and  the  term  of  said  office 
in  Middletown  shall  commence  on  the  first 

145 


day  of  May  following  said  election.  The 
assessors  elected  by  every  other  town  shall 
hold  their  respective  offices  for  the  term  of 
one  year  from  the  date  of  their  election  and 
until  their  successors  shall  be  elected  and 
qualified.  No  assessor  shall  act  as  a  mem- 
ber of  the  board  of  relief. 

§  1801.  Election  of  town  clerks, 
treasurers.  All  towns,  except  as  specially 
provided  by  law,  shall,  at  their  annual  town 
meeting  in  1903,  and  biennially  thereafter, 
elect  town  clerks  who  shall  hold  office  for 
two  years  from  the  first  Monday  of  Jan- 
uary next  succeeding  their  election,  and 
town  treasurers  who  shall  hold  office  for 
the  term  of  two  years  from  the  date  of 
their  election,  and  until  their  successors 
shall  be  elected  and  qualified. 

§  1802.  Board  of  relief,  selectmen, 
grand  jurors,  treasurers,  collectors,  au- 
ditors, constables.  Every  town  shall  at 
its  annual  town  meeting  (unless  now  by 
special  act  exempted  therefrom)  elect  a 
board  of  relief  of  not  less  than  two  nor 
more  than  five  members,  not  less  than  three 
nor  more  than  seven  selectmen,  not  less 
than  two  nor  more  than  six  grand  jurors, 
two  auditors,  and  a  collector  of  town  taxes, 
a  treasurer  of  the  town  deposit  fund  and 
of  other  trust   funds,   an   agent   or   agents 

146 


of  the  town  deposit  fund;  and  (except  the 
town  of  Hartford)  not  more  than  seven 
constables.  At  the  annual  town  meeting  in 
Hartford  on  the  first  Monday  of  April, 
1903,  and  quadrennially  thereafter  there 
shall  be  chosen  seven  constables,  for  more 
than  four  of  whom  no  person  shall  vote, 
who  shall  hold  office  for  the  term  of  four 
years  beginning  on  the  first  Monday  of 
June  next  following  their  election.  At  its 
annual  meeting  in  1903  and  biennially  there- 
after the  town  of  Middletown  shall  elect  a 
collector  of  town  taxes  who  shall  hold  of- 
fice for  the  term  of  two  years. 

§  1803.  As  amended  by  Chaps.  20  and 
98,  Pub.  Acts,  1903,  and  Chap.  89,  Pub. 
Acts,  1905.  Registrars  of  voters;  elec- 
tion and  terms  of.  The  town  of  Hart- 
ford, at  its  annual  town  meeting  in  the 
year  1904,  and  biennially  thereafter,  and 
the  town  of  New  Britain,  at  its  annual 
town  meeting  in  the  year  1902,  and  bien- 
nially thereafter,  and  the  town  of  Norwich, 
at  its  annual  town  meeting  in  the  year  1903, 
and  biennially  thereafter,  shall  elect,  by  gen- 
eral ticket,  registrars  of  voters,  to  hold  of- 
fice for  two  years  from  the  first  Monday  of 
January  succeeding  their  election.  Every 
other  town,  unless  otherwise  by  special  act 
provided,  at  its  annual  town  meeting  shall, 
in  like  manner,  elect  registrars  of  voters,  to 
hold  office  for  one  year  from  the  first  Mon- 

147 


day  of  the  succeeding  January.  The  reg- 
istrars shall  reside  in  the  towns  for  which 
they  are  elected.  In  towns  divided  into 
voting  districts,  except  the  towns  of  Hart- 
ford, New  Haven,  Waterbury,  New  Lon- 
don, Norwich,  Meriden,  Middletown,  New 
Britain,  Stamford,  Danbury,  East  Windsor, 
Enfield,  Wallingford,  Thompson,  Berlin, 
and  Windsor,  two  registrars  of  voters  shall 
be  elected  for  each  district,  and  in  each  of 
the  excepted  towns,  and  in  every  town  not 
divided  into  voting  districts,  two  registrars 
of  voters  shall  be  elected  for  the  town  at 
large.  No  person  shall  vote  for  more  than 
one  registrar  for  each  voting  district,  or, 
as  the  case  may  be,  for  the  town  at  large; 
and  the  person  having  the  highest  number 
of  votes  and  the  person  who  has  the  next 
highest  number  of  votes,  for  registrar,  who 
does  not  belong  to  the  same  political  party 
as  the  first,  shall  be  declared  elected  reg- 
istrars of  voters  for  the  town  or  district, 
as  the  case  may  be. 

§  1804.  School  visitors.  There  shall 
be  elected  by  every  town,  at  its  annual 
town  meeting,  such  number  of  school  visi- 
tors as  such  town  is  required  by  law  to 
elect,  and  they  shall  be  elected  in  the  man- 
ner and  for  the  term  or  terms  by  law  pre- 
scribed. 

§  1805.     Incompatible    offices:   select- 
148 


man;  town  clerk;  registrar.  If  any  reg- 
istrar of  voters  shall  be  elected  to  the  of- 
fice of  town  clerk  or  selectman  and  accept 
the  office,  he  shall  thereupon  cease  to  be 
registrar;  and  if  any  town  clerk  or  select- 
man shall  be  elected  registrar  of  voters, 
the  election  shall  be  void;  and  in  either  of 
said  cases  the  selectmen  shall  forthwith  ap- 
point another  registrar  by  a  writing  signed 
by  them  and  filed  with  the  town  clerk;  but 
the  person  so  appointed  shall  be  a  member 
of  some  other  political  party  than  that  to 
which  the  other  registrar  belongs. 

§  1806.  Official  terms  of  town  of- 
ficers. The  terms  of  office  of  all  elective 
town  officers,  when  not  otherwise  pre- 
scribed, shall  be  for  one  year  from*  the  date 
of  their  election,  and  the  terms  of  those 
appointed  by  the  board  of  selectmen  shall 
expire  on  the  day  of  the  annual  town  meet- 
ing next  succeeding  their  appointment. 

§  1807.  Official  terms  in  certain 
towns.  All  town  officers  elected  annually 
in  Hartford,  Bridgeport,  and  New  Haven, 
whose  terms  are  not  specially  prescribed, 
shall  hold  office  as  follows :  those  in  Hart- 
ford for  the  term  of  one  year  from  the 
first  Monday  of  January  following  their 
election,  those  in  Bridgeport  for  one  year 
from  the  Monday  following  their  election, 

149 


and  those  in  New  Haven  for  one  year  from 
the  first  week  day  of  June  following  their 
election. 

§  1808.  As  amended  by  Chap.  162, 
Pub.  Acts,  1903.  Ballot  for  and  appoint- 
ment of  town  officers.  Assessors,  mem- 
bers of  boards  of  relief,  selectmen,  town 
clerks,  town  treasurers,  treasurers  of  town 
deposit  funds  and  of  other  town  trust 
funds,  agents  of  town  deposit  funds,  audit- 
ors, grand  jurors,  collectors  of  taxes,  con- 
stables, registrars  of  voters,  high  school 
committees,  school  visitors,  town  school 
committees,  and  library  directors  shall  be 
voted  for  by  ballot;  but  all  other  town  of- 
ficers provided  for  by  law  shall  be  ap- 
pointed .by  the  board  of  selectmen  of  the 
several  towns  respectively.  Any  town,  at 
a  town  meeting  duly  warned  for  the  pur- 
pose, may  pass  votes  determining,  within 
the  limits  by  law  provided,  the  number  of 
its  officers  and  prescribing  the  mode  in 
which  they  shall  be  voted  for  at  subsequent 
meetings,  but  no  alteration  of  such  number 
shall  take  effect  until  after  the  adjournment 
of  the  meeting  by  which  it  was  adopted. 

§  1809.      Plurality    of    votes    to    elect. 

In  all  elections  of  town  officers  a  plurality 
of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  sufficient  to  elect, 
unless  it  is  otherwise  expressly  provided  by 
law. 

150 


§  1810.  Minority  representation.  When 
the  number  of  assessors,  or  members  of 
the  board  of  relief,  or  selectmen,  or  con- 
stables, or  grand  jurors  to  be  elected  by 
any  town  at  its  annual  meeting  shall  be 
two,  four,  or  six,  no  person  shall  vote  for 
more  than  one-half  the  number;  if  the 
number  to  be  elected  be  three,  no  person 
shall  vote  for  more  than  two ;  if  the  num- 
ber be  five,  no  person  shall  vote  for  more 
than  three;  if  the  number  be  seven,  no 
person  shall  vote  for  more  than  four.  That 
number  of  persons  sufficient  to  fill  the  of- 
fices of  assessors,  boards  of  relief,  select- 
men, constables,  or  grand  jurors,  respec- 
tively, who  have  the  highest  number  of 
votes  shall  be  elected.  In  case  of  a  tie, 
that  person  whose  name  stands  first  or 
highest  on  the  greatest  number  of  ballots 
shall  be   elected. 

§  1811.  Election  of  auditors.  The  au- 
ditors shall  be  voted  for  on  the  general 
ticket,  and  the  two  persons  having  the  high- 
est number  of  votes  for  the  office  shall  be 
declared  elected;  but  no  person  shall  vote 
for  more  than  one  auditor. 

§  1812.  First  selectman;  when  town 
agent.  Of  the  persons  elected  selectmen 
by  any  town,  the  person  first  named  on  a 
plurality  of  the  ballots  cast  for  them  or 
any  of  them  shall  be  first  selectman,   and, 

I5i 


in  the  absence  of  a  special  appointment, 
shall  be  ex-ofhcio  the  agent  of  such  town 

§  1813.    Certain    offices    incompatible. 

No  selectman  shall  hold  office  of  town 
clerk,  town  treasurer,  or  collector  of  town 
taxes  of  the  same  town  during  the  same 
official  year;  nor  shall  any  town  clerk  or 
selectman  be  elected  a  registrar  of  voters ; 
and  no  registrar  of  voters  shall  hold  the 
•  office  of  town  clerk. 

§  1814.     Vacancies  how  filled.     If  any 

town  office  in  any  town  shall  be  vacant  by 
the  neglect  of  the  town  to  elect  or  appoint, 
or  the  refusal  of  any  person  appointed  to 
act,  or  by  the  death  or  removal  of  any  per- 
son appointed,  or  from  any  other  cause, 
such  town,  if  such  office  is  an  elective  office, 
may  in  legal  town  meeting  fill  the  vacancy ; 
but  until  the  town  shall  fill  it,  such  vacancy 
may  be  filled  by  the  selectmen,  and  the 
selectmen  shall  fill  all  vacancies  that  may 
arise  in  offices  to  which  they  have  power 
of  appointment. 

§  1815.  Ballot  boxes.  The  ballot  boxes 
for  the  reception  of  votes  for  town  officers 
in  the  several  towns  at  their  annual  meet- 
ings, shall  be  opened  at  the  time  prescribed 
by  law,  or  by  the  votes  of  the  respective 
towns  passed  in  pursuance  of  law,  and  shall 
remain  open  for  that  purpose  at  least  five 
152 


hours.  The  selectmen  shall  provide  the 
ballot  box  or  boxes  necessary  for  use  at 
such  meetings  and  at  all  meetings  for  the 
election  of  town  officers,  and  the  same  shall 
be  constructed  in  the  same  manner  as  bal- 
lot boxes  are  required  to  be  constructed  for 
use  at  electors'  meetings. 

§  1816.       Ballots     to     be     preserved. 

The  ballots  cast  at  any  town  meeting  for 
the  election  of  town  officers  shall,  imme- 
diately after  they  have  been  counted,  be 
returned  by  the  presiding  officer  to  the  bal- 
lot box  or  boxes,  which  shall  be  locked, 
sealed,  and  deposited  by  him  in  the  town 
clerk's  office,  so  that  the  same  cannot  be 
opened  without  the  knowledge  of  such 
presiding  officer.  And  the  clerk  in  whose 
office  such  box  or  boxes  shall  be  deposited 
shall  carefully  preserve  the  same,  with  the 
seal  unbroken,  for  six  months  after  such 
meeting,  to  be  opened  and  the  ballots  ex- 
amined by  those  only  who  are  or  may  be 
authorized  by  law  to  make  an  official  ex- 
amination of  them.  If  such  boxes  are 
opened  under  authority  of  a  judge  of  the 
superior  court,  the  said  judge  shall  see 
that  all  the  ballots  and  the  accompanying 
certificates  are  returned  to  the  boxes,  and 
that  the  same  are  effectually  sealed  up 
again. 

§  1817.     Power  of  moderator  to  sup- 
153 


press  disorder.  The  moderator  of  any 
town  meeting,  annual  or  special,  and  of 
any  meeting  of  any  society  or  other  com 
munity  lawfully  assembled,  may,  when  any 
disorder  arises  in  the  meeting,  and  the  of- 
fender shall  refuse  to  submit  to  his  lawful 
authority,  order  any  proper  officer  to  take 
him  into  custody,  and,  if  necessary,  to  re- 
move him  from  such  meeting  until  he  shall 
conform  to  order,  or,  if  need  be,  until  such 
meeting  shall  be  closed,  and  thereupon  such 
officer  shall  have  power  to  command  all 
necessary  assistance,  and  any  person  refus- 
ing to  assist  when  commanded  shall  be  lia- 
ble to  the  same  penalties  as  for  refusing 
to  assist  sheriffs  and  constables  in  the  ex- 
ecution of  their  offices ;  but  no  person  com- 
manded to  assist  shall  be  deprived  of  his 
right  to  act  in  the  meeting,  nor  shall  the 
offender  be  so  deprived  any  longer  than 
he  refuses  to  conform  to  order. 


§  1818.  Return  of  election  of  cer- 
tain officers.  The  moderator  of  any  town 
meeting  in  any  town  where  a  registrar  of 
births,  marriages,  and  deaths  shall  be  elect- 
ed under  special  laws,  shall,  within  ten 
days  after  such  meeting,  transmit  to  the  sec- 
retary of  state,  and  also  to  the  clerk  of 
the  probate  court  of  the  district  in  which 
such  town  is  situated,  a  certified  return  of 

154 


the  name  of  said  registrar  in  substance  as 
follows,  to  wit: 

At  the  annual  (or  other)  town  meet- 
ing of  the  town  of  legally 

warned  and  held  on  the day 

of  ,  A.   D.   19—,  

was    chosen    registrar   of   births,    mar- 
riages, and  deaths  of  said  town   from 

the day  of ,  A.  D. 

19 — ,  until  the  day  of  

,  A.  D.   19—. 

Certified  by  A.  B.,  Moderator. 
And  when  a  town  clerk  shall  be  chosen 
at  any  town  meeting  in  any  town,  and 
sworn,  a  like  return  shall  within  ten  days 
be  made  by  the  moderator  of  the  meeting 
to  said 'secretary,  and  if  said  clerk  is  ex- 
oiHcio  registrar  of  births,  marriages,  and 
deaths,  to  the  clerk  of  the  probate  court  of 
the  district  in  which  said  town  is  situated. 
The  said  secretary  and  the  said  clerk  shall 
each,  in  a  book  kept  by  him  for  the  pur- 
pose, record  the  names  of  the  registrars 
and  town  clerks  so  returned,  and  may  sev- 
erally certify  that  the  persons  named  in 
said  records  are  the  registrars  of  births, 
marriages,  and  deaths,  or  the  town  clerks, 
as  the  case  may  be,  of  their  respective 
towns  for  the  period  for  which  they  were 
respectively  elected. 

§  1819.      Returns    by    town    clerk    of 
election    and    license    vote.      The    town 

155 


clerks  of  the  several  towns  shall,  within 
ten  days  after  the  election  of  such  officers, 
return  to  the  secretary  of  state  the 
names  of  the  persons  elected  to  the  of- 
fices of  selectmen,  town  treasurer,  assess- 
ors, grand  juror,  constables,  school  visitors, 
or  school  committee  with  date  of  expira- 
tion of  term,  and  registrars  of  voters,  also 
the  number  of  votes  for  and  against  license, 
and  if  no  vote  was  taken  thereon,  said  re- 
turn shall  state  whether  the  last  preceding 
vote  was  for  license  or  no  license.  Every 
town  clerk  neglecting  to  make  such  return 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  twenty-five 
dollars. 

§  1820.  Oaths  of  grand  jurors  and 
constables  to  be  recorded.  Every  per- 
son elected  to  the  office  of  grand  juror  or 
constable  in  any  town  shall  before  the  com- 
mencement of  his  term  of  office,  or  within 
thirty  days  thereafter,  take  the  oath  of 
office  before  some  proper  officer,  who  shall 
certify  in  writing  to  that  fact  and  deliver 
the  certificate  to  the  person  by  whom  the 
oath  was  taken ;  and  such  person  shall, 
without  delay,  lodge  said  certificate  for 
record  in  the  office  of  the  town  clerk  of  the 
town  in  which  he  was  elected  grand  juror 
or  constable,  and  said  clerk  shall  record  the 
same.  If  any  person  elected  to  the  office 
of  grand  juror  or  constable  shall  not  com- 
ply with  the  requirements  of  this  section, 
156 


his  office  shall  be  vacant  and  may  be  filled 
in  the  manner  provided  for  filling  vacancies 
in  town  offices. 

§  182 1.  Assessors,  board  of  relief, 
and  collectors  to  be  sworn.  Every  per- 
son elected  or  appointed  an  assessor  or  a 
member  of  the  board  of  relief,  or  a  col- 
lector of  town  taxes  in  any  town,  shall,  be- 
fore entering  upon  the  duties  of  the  office 
to  which  he  has  been  elected  or  appointed, 
be  duly  sworn. 

§  1822.  Penalties  for  refusing  to 
accept   or   perform   certain   duties.     Any 

person  elected  to  the  office  of  assessor  and 
having  accepted  the  same,  who  shall  after- 
wards refuse  to  be  sworn  or  to  perform 
the  duties  of  the  office,  shall  be  fined  thirty 
dollars;  and  any  person  elected  to  any 
other  town  office  than  that  of  assessor  or 
town  clerk,  and  accepting  the  same,  or  not 
declaring  his  refusal  to  accept,  who  shall 
neglect  to  perform  the  duties  of  the  office, 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  ten  dollars; 
and  any  person  elected  to  any  town  office 
to  which  he  is  eligible,  who  shall  refuse  to 
accept  the  same  and  take  the  oath  pre- 
scribed by  law,  shall,  unless  he  has  reason- 
able excuse  for  such  refusal,  be  fined  five 
dollars ;  and  any  town  clerk  who  shall  neg- 
lect to  perform  the  duties  of  his  office,  shall 
be  fined  not  more  than  fifty  dollars.    Every 

157 


moderator  of  a  town  meeting  who  shall 
neglect  to  make  any  return  required  by  law 
shall  be  fined  twenty  dollars. 

§  1823.  As  amended  by  Chap.  135, 
Pub.  Acts,  1905.  City  and  town  elec- 
tions, how  contested.  Any  person  claim- 
ing to  have  been  elected  selectman,  clerk, 
treasurer,  collector  of  taxes,  or  justice  of 
the  peace,  assessor,  grand  juror,  constable, 
registrar  of  voters,  or  registrar  of  births, 
marriages,  and  deaths  of  any  town,  or 
mayor,  clerk,  treasurer,  auditor,  collector 
of  taxes,  alderman,  or  councilman  of  any 
city,  but  not  so  declared,  may,  within  'sixty 
days  after  the  time  of  holding  the  election, 
bring  his  petition  to  any  judge  of  the  su- 
perior court,  alleging  the  facts  on  which 
such  claim  is  founded,  which  shall  be 
served  upon  the  party  against  whom  the 
claim  is  made  at  least  six  days  before  the 
return  day,  and  returnable  not  more  than 
sixty-six  days  after  the  day  of  such  elec- 
tion, and  such  judge  shall  thereupon  hear 
and  determine  said  petition,  and  his  deci- 
sion thereon  shall  be  conclusive,  and  if  in 
favor  of  the  petitioner,  his  certificate  to 
that  effect,  under  the  seal  of  the  court, 
shall  entitle  the  petitioner  to  hold  and  ex- 
ercise the  duties  and  powers  of  such  office; 
but  this  section  shall  not  affect  the  right 
of  appeal  to  the  supreme  court  of  errors 
for  the  revision  of  questions  of  law  arising 

158- 


thereon,  and' it  shall  not  prevent  such  judge 
from  reserving  such  questions  of  law,  by 
consent  of  all  parties,  for  the  advice  of 
said  supreme  court  of  errors.  And  said 
judge  may,  if  necessary,  issue  his  writ  of 
mandamus,  requiring  the  adverse  party  and 
those  under  him  to  deliver  to  the  petitioner 
the  appurtenances  of  such  office,  and  shall 
cause  his  finding  and  decree  to  be  entered 
on  the  records  of  said  superior  court  in 
the  proper  county. 

§  1824.  Appeal  to  supreme  court  of 
errors;  costs.  Upon  such  reservation  or 
appeal  said  judge  shall  make  the  necessary 
findings,  and  lodge  the  same,  and  the  files 
in  such  cause,  with  the  clerk  of  the  superior 
court  of  the  county  wherein  the  petitioner 
resides,  who  shall  cause  the  same  to  be 
entered  upon  the  docket  of  the  supreme 
court  of  errors,  to  be  proceeded  with  as  in 
other  cases,  and  the  same  shall  be  privi- 
leged in  the  order  of  trial,  and  final  judg- 
ment shall  be  rendered  thereon  by  said 
judge  of  the  superior  court,  or  in  case  of 
his  death,  absence,  or  inability,  by  some 
other  judge  of  the  superior  court,  as  the 
supreme  court  of  errors  shall  advise.  Said 
judge  may  tax  costs  in  favor  of  the  pre- 
vailing party,  and  the  clerk  of  the  superior 
court,  with  whom  said  files  are  lodged,  may 
issue    execution    therefor. 

§  1825.     Patrolmen     how     appointed, 
159 


and  their  powers.  Any  town,  at  a  town 
meeting  legally  warned  and  held  for  that 
purpose,  may  authorize  its  selectmen  to 
appoint  such  number  of  patrolmen  as  it 
may  at  said  meeting  determine  upon,  who 
shall  have  the  powers  of  constables  to  serve 
criminal  process  and  arrest  for  crime  dur- 
ing the  time  for  which  they  shall  be  ap- 
pointed. 

§  1826.  Place  of  holding  town  and 
electors'  meetings.  In  any  town  not  di- 
vided into  voting  districts,  the  place  of 
holding  town  and  electors'  meetings  may 
be  determined  by  a  majority  of  the  quali- 
fied voters  present  and  voting  at  any  town 
meeting  specially  warned  and  held  for  that 
purpose. 

§  1827.  Special  charter  provisions 
not  affected.  No  provision  of  the  gen- 
eral statutes  shall  be  construed  to  repeal 
any  now  existing  charter  provision  relative 
to  the  election,  term  of  office,  or  powers  or 
duties  of  any  town  or  city  officer,  or  to 
the  manner  of  warning  or  conducting  any 
town  or  city  meeting  or  election  or  anv 
electors'  meeting,  but  the  powers  and  duties 
of  such  officers  shall  be  and  remain  as 
provided  in  such  charter. 

§  1846.     Women     eligible     to     certain 
town  offices.     No  person  shall  be  deemed 
to  be  disqualified  from  holding  the  offices 
160 


of  assistant  town  clerk,  registrar  of  births, 
marriages,  and  deaths,  or  of  assistant  reg- 
istrar of  births,  marriages,  and  deaths,  by 
reason  of  sex. 

§  1883.  Who  are  ineligible.  The  office  of 
constable  shall  not  be  held  by  a  judge  of 
any  court,  except  a  judge  of  a  court  of 
probate,  nor  by  a  justice  of  the  peace. 

§  1998.  Organization  of  districts  for 
municipal  purposes.  Upon  the  petition  of 
ten  or  more  legal  voters  of  any  town  in 
this  state  not  residing  within  the  territorial 
limits  of  any  city  or  borough  in  said  town 
specifying  the  limits  of  a  proposed  district 
to  be  organized  for  any  or  all  of  the  pur- 
poses set  forth  in  section  1999,  and  not  in- 
cluding within  said  limits  any  part  of  any 
city  or  borough  in  said  town,  the  selectmen 
of  said  town  shall  call  a  meeting  of  the 
legal  voters  residing  within  said  specified 
limits,  to  act  upon  said  petition,  to  be  held 
at  such  place  within  said  town,  and  at  such 
hour  as  said  selectmen  shall  designate, 
within  fourteen  days  after  said  petition  is 
received  by  said  selectmen.  Said  meeting 
shall  be  called  by  posting  a  written  notice 
of  the  same,  signed  by  said  selectmen,  in 
some  prominent  place  within  said  proposed 
district,  at  least  five  days  before  the  time 
fixed  for  said  meeting,  and  by  advertising 
said  notice  in  some  newspaper  published 
or  circulated  in  said  town. 
161 


§  iggg.  Purposes  of  such  districts.  At 
such  meeting  the  legal  voters  may  establish 
the  district  for  any  or  all  of  the  following 
purposes,  viz. :  to  extinguish  fires,  to  sprin- 
kle streets,  to  .light  streets,  to  plant  and 
care  for  shade  and  ornamental  trees ;  to 
construct  and  maintain  sidewalks,  cross- 
walks, drains,  and  sewers ;  to  appoint  and 
employ  watchmen  or  police  officers.  They 
may  give  a  name  to  the  district  and  choose 
necessary  officers  therefor,  to  hold  office 
until  the  first  annual  meeting  thereof;  and 
the  district  shall  thereupon  be  a  body  cor- 
porate and  politic,  and  have  all  the  powers 
in  relation  to  the  objects  for  which  it  was 
established  that  are  necessary  for  the  ac- 
complishment of  said  objects,  including  the 
power  to  lay  and  collect  taxes.  The  clerk 
of  said  district  shall  cause  its  name  and  a 
description  of  its  territorial  limits,  and  of 
any  additions  that  may  be  made  thereto,  to 
be  recorded  in  the  land  records  of  the  town 
in  which  such  district  is  located. 


§  2000.  Additional  purposes.  A  dis- 
trict established  for  any  of  the  purposes 
indicated  in  section  1999  may,  from  time  to 
time,  by  vote,  add  thereto  any  other  of  said 
purposes ;  and  from  and  after  such  vote  it 
shall  have  all  the  powers  and  rights  in  re- 
lation to  the  new  purposes  that  it  previously 
had  in  relation  to  its  original  purposes. 
162 


§  2001.  Officers.  The  officers  of  such 
districts,  and  their  powers  and  duties,  shall 
be  the  same  in  relation  to  the  purposes  for 
which  such  districts  are  organized  as  the 
officers  of  school  districts  are  for  school 
district  affairs;  and  except  as  otherwise 
provided  the  laws  relating  to  school  dis- 
tricts, mutatis  mutandis,  shall  apply  to  such 
districts. 

§  2002.    Condemnation  of  land.    If  any 

such  district  cannot  obtain  for  a  reasonable 
price  any  land  or  easement  in  land  required 
by  it  for  its  purposes,  it  may  apply  to  the 
superior  court  in  the  county  in  which  such 
district  is  situated,  and  shall  proceed  in  the 
same  manner  as  is  by  law  provided  for  the 
taking  of  land  for  highway  purposes. 

§  2003.  Drains  or  sewers  how  paid 
for.  If  any  such  district  shall  construct  any 
drains  or  sewers,  such  proportion  of  the 
cost  thereof  as  said  district  may  determine, 
may  be  assessed  by  the  committee  of  said 
district,  in  the  manner  prescribed  by  said 
district,  upon  the  property  specially  bene- 
fited by  such  drains  or  sewers,  and  the 
balance  of  such  cost  shall  be  paid  for  out 
of  the  general  funds  of  such  district. 

§  2004.  Changes  in  district  boundaries. 

Upon  the  petition  of  a  majority  of  the  legal 

voters  residing  within  limits  contiguous  to 

163 


any  such  district,  praying  to  be  admitted 
as  a  part  of  such  district,  the  committee 
of  said  district  shall  call  a  special  meeting 
of  said  district,  and  said  district  may,  by 
a  majority  of  the  legal  voters  present  and 
voting  at  such  meeting,  admit  the  territory 
described  in  said  petition  to  be  a  part  of 
said  district;  and  whenever,  under  the  pro- 
visions hereof,  a  fire  district  has  been  or- 
ganized and  no  indebtedness  exceeding  five 
hundred  dollars  remains  outstanding,  and 
it  shall  be  deemed  for  the  best  interests  of 
said  district  to  reduce  the  territorial  size 
of  the  same,  any  ten  voters  of  said  district 
may  petition  for  a  change  in  the  limits 
of  said  district  for  the  purpose  of  reducing 
the  size  of  the  same,  specifying  the  limits 
of  the  proposed  changes  to  the  committee 
of  said  district,  and  thereupon  said  com- 
mittee shall,  within  five  days  thereafter, 
call  a  special  meeting  of  said  fire  district, 
specifying  therein  the  objects  of  said  meet- 
ing, and  shall  give  at  least  five  days'  notice 
of  the  time  and  place  of  holding  said  meet- 
ing, by  publication  in  a  newspaper  having 
a  circulation  in  said  district,  and  the  voters 
of  said  district,  by  a  majority  vote,  may 
change  the  limits  of  said  district  for  the 
purpose  of  decreasing  the  size  of  the  same, 
specifying  the  new  limits  of  said  district; 
and,  thereafter,  said  district  shall  be  es- 
tablished in  accordance  with  said  new  limits 
thus  adopted. 

164 


§  2005.  Restriction  of  powers.  Noth- 
ing in  this  chapter  shall  be  construed  as 
giving  power  to  any  such  district  to  con- 
struct or  purchase  water  works  or  electric 
light  works  without  express  power  from  the 
general   assembly. 

§  2012.  Towns  to  provide  for  repair 
of  highways.  Towns  at  their  annual  meet- 
ings may  provide  for  the  repair  of  their 
highways,  for  periods  not  exceeding  five 
years,  and  if  any  town  neglect  to  so  provide 
at  such  meeting  the  selectmen  may  provide 
for  such  repairs  for  a  period  not  exceeding 
one  year. 

§  2132.  Classification  of  school  visit- 
ors. There  shall  be  in  every  town,  unless 
otherwise  provided,  a  board  of  school  visit- 
ors, composed  of  three,  six,  or  nine  mem- 
bers, as  such  town  may  determine,  divided 
into  three  equal  classes ;  the  first  class  shall 
hold  office  until  the  next  annual  town  meet- 
ing, the  second  class  until  the  second  an- 
nual town  meeting,  and  the  third  class  un- 
til the  third  annual  town  meeting  follow- 
ing, and  until  others  are  elected  in  their 
places,  provided,  that  when  said  board  is 
composed  of  only  three  members,  they 
shall  not  be  divided  into  classes,  and  shall 
be  elected  for  three  years.  Should  a  va- 
cancy occur,  the  remaining  members  of  the 

16S 


board  may  fill  it  till  the  next  annual  town 
meeting,  when  vacancies  shall  be  rilled  in 
the  manner  prescribed  in  section  2133,  and 
the  ballots  shall  distinctly  specify  the  va- 
cancy to  be  rilled. 

§  2133.      Election    of    school    visitors. 

School  visitors  shall  be  chosen  by  ballot. 
If  the  number  to  be  chosen  be  two,  four, 
six,  or  eight,  no  person  shall  vote  for  more 
than  half  of  such  number.  If  the  number 
to  be  chosen  be  three,  no  person  shall  vote 
for  more  than  two ;  if  five,  not  more  than 
three;  if  seven,  not  more  than  four;  if 
nine,  not  more  than  five.  That  number  of 
persons  sufficient  to  fill  the  board,  who  have 
the  highest  number  of  votes,  shall  be  elected. 
In  case  of  a  tie  that  person  whose  name 
stands  first  or  highest  on  the  greatest  num- 
ber of  ballots  shall  be  elected. 

§  2134.  Instruction  in  music.  Any 
town,  at  its  annual  meeting,  may  direct  its 
school  visitors  or  town  school  committee  to 
employ  one  or  more  teachers  to  give  in- 
struction in  the  rudiments  and  principles  of 
vocal  and  instrumental  music  in  its  several 
schools,  and  the  salary  of  such  teachers 
shall  be  paid  by  such  town. 

§  2135.    Text-books  and  supplies.   Any 

town  at  its  annual  meeting  may  direct  the 

school  visitors,  town  school  committee,  or 

166 


board  of  education  to  purchase,  at  the  ex- 
pense of  said  town,  the  text-books  and  other 
school  supplies  used  in  the  public  schools 
of  said  town,  and  said  text-books  and  sup- 
plies shall  be  loaned  to  the  pupils  of  said 
public  schools  free  of  charge,  subject  to 
such  rules  and  regulations  as  the  school 
visitors,  town  school  committee,  or  board 
of  education  may  prescribe. 

§  2137.  School  fund  treasurer.  Every 
town  holding  any  permanent  funds  re- 
ceived from  any  school  society  or  district 
shall  annually  elect,  by  ballot,  a  school  fund 
treasurer,  who  shall  have  charge  of  such 
funds,  keep  a  separate  account  of  the  same, 
and  give  bonds,  with  surety  to  the  satisfac- 
tion of  the  selectmen,  for  the  faithful  dis- 
charge of  the  duties  of  his  office. 

§  2149.  Establishment  of  evening 
schools  in  smaller  towns.     Any  town  of 

less  than  ten  thousand  inhabitants  may,  at 
its  annual  town  meeting,  or  at  a  meeting 
warned  for  that  purpose,  vote  to  establish 
evening  schools  under  the  provisions  of 
sections  2145,  2146,  and  2148. 

§  2158.  Procedure  in  electing  boards 
of  education.  In  every  school  district  in 
which  a  board  of  education  is  required  by 
law  to  be  elected  by  ballot,  the  ballot  boxes 

167 


shall  be  open  for  the  reception  of  votes,  in 
districts  having  less  than  four  hundred 
voters,  three  hours  and  not  longer;  in  dis- 
tricts having  over  four  hundred  and  less 
than  one  thousand  voters,  five  hours  and 
not  longer;  and  no  box  for  the  reception 
of  ballots  shall  remain  open  later  than  half 
past  eight  in  the  afternoon  of  the  day  of 
such   election. 

§  2175.  Formation  and  alteration  of 
school  districts.  Each  town  shall  have 
power  to  form,  unite,  alter,  and  dissolve 
school  districts  and  parts  of  school  dis- 
tricts within  its  limits ;  and  two  or  more 
towns  may  form  school  districts  of  ad- 
joining portions  of  their  respective  towns. 

§  2176.  Division  of  districts  formed 
of  parts  of  towns.  Whenever  a  school 
district  is  formed  from  parts  of  two  or 
more  towns,  either  of  said  towns  may  di- 
vide such  district  by  uniting  the  portions 
lying  in  said  town  with  any  adjoining  dis- 
trict therein. 

§  2193.  Conduct  of  meeting;  registry 
list.  In  every  school  district  whose  limits 
are  the  same  as  the  limits  of  the  town  in 
which  it  is  situated  the  town  registry  list 
shall  be  the  registry  list  for  school  pur- 
poses, and  in  every  other  school  district 
168 


enumerating  four  hundred  or  more  chil- 
dren, as  returned  to  the  comptroller,  the 
registrars  of  voters  of  the  town  in  which 
the  schoolhouse  of  said  district  is  situated 
shall  have  the  same  powers  in  reference  to 
voting  lists,  appointing  moderators  and  box 
tenders  of  school  district  meetings,  as  they 
now  have  in  the  election  of  town,  city,  or 
ward  officers ;  and  said  registrars  of  voters 
shall,  upon  the  written  request  of  twenty 
or  more  legal  voters  of  said  school  district 
deposited  with  either  of  said  registrars  of 
voters  at  least  twenty  days  before  the  an- 
nual meeting  of  said  district,  prepare  and 
complete  a  correct  list  of  all  the  legal 
voters  of  said  school  district,  and  lodge 
the  same  with  the  clerk  of  said  district  at 
least  five  days  before  said  annual  meeting; 
and  in  every  other  school  district  the  clerk 
of  said  district  shall,  upon  the  written 
request  of  twenty  or  more  legal  voters  of 
such  district,  lodged  with  said  clerk  at 
least  twenty  days  before  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  said  district,  prepare  the  check  list 
of  the  legal  voters  of  said  district,  to  be 
used  at  any  meeting  for  the  election  of 
officers  in  said  district,  or  for  the  taking 
of  any  vote  by  ballot  which  may  be  re- 
quested by  one-third  of  the  legal  voters 
present  at  any  meeting  of  the  school  dis- 
trict ;  said  clerk  shall  add  to  said  list  the 
name  of  any  legal  voter  omitted,  and  erase 
therefrom  the  name  of  any  person  improp- 

169 


erly  entered  thereon,  and  for  this  purpose 
he  shall  have  all  the  powers  within  said 
district  which  the  registrars  of  voters  have 
in  their  respective  towns. 


§  2194.  Vote  by  ballot,  how  ordered 
and  taken.  Whenever  one-third  of  the 
legal  voters  present  at  any  meeting  of  a 
school  district  having  such  registration 
shall  request  that  any  vote  or  votes  upon 
any  question  pending  before  such  meeting 
shall  be  taken  by  ballot  and  check  list  of 
the  legal  voters  of  said  district  the  chair- 
man of  such  meeting  shall  cause  said  vote 
or  votes  to  be  so  taken,  and  if  said  vote 
or  votes  cannot  be  then  and  there  con- 
veniently and  properly  taken,  he  shall, 
upon  the  like  request  of  said  one-third  of 
the  legal  voters  present,  adjourn  said 
meeting  to  the  usual  polling  place  or 
places  in  said  district,  if  there  be  any,  and, 
if  there  be  none,  then  to  the  most  suitable 
and  convenient  place  or  places  in  said  dis- 
trict, at  such  time  within  one  week  there- 
after as  he  may  designate,  when  and  where 
said  vote  or  votes  shall  be  taken  between 
the  -hours  of  nine  o'clock  in  the  morning 
and  five  o'clock  in  the  afternoon,  and  the 
result  shall  be  ascertained  and  declared 
by  said  chairman,  and  recorded  by  the 
clerk  upon   the   records  of  said   district. 

170 


§  2195.  Special  meetings.  Upon  the 
written  request  of  twenty  or  more  legal 
voters  of  any  school  district  having  such 
registration  to  the  committee  to  call  a 
special  meeting  to  vote  by  ballot  and  check 
list  upon  any  resolutions  appended  to  such 
request,  said  committee  shall  call  such 
meeting  within  three  weeks  thereafter,  at 
some  suitable  time  and  place  in  such  dis- 
trict, to  be  particularly  stated  in  the  call, 
when  and  where  said  vote  or  votes  shall 
be  taken,  and  the  result  ascertained,  de- 
clared, and  recorded  in  the  manner  pro- 
vided in  section  2194.  Upon  like  request, 
the  committee  of  any  school  district  having 
such  registration  shall  cause  all  elections 
of  officers  of  such  district  to  be  had  by 
ballot  and  check  list. 

§  2196.  Compensation  for  preparing 
lists.  The  compensation  of  each  of  said 
registrars  of  voters,  or  of  said  district 
clerks  for  preparing  said  lists,  shall  be 
the  same  per  diem  as  that  paid  by  the 
town  in  which  said  district  is  situated  to 
said  registrars  of  voters,  for  preparing  the 
voting  lists  used  at  state,  town,  city,  or 
ward  elections,  and  shall  be  paid  by  the 
treasurer  of  the  school  district  for  which 
such  list  is  prepared. 

§  2197.  Illegal  voting  in  district  meet- 
ing.    Every  meeting  may   choose   its  own 

171 


moderator,  and  may  adjourn  from  time  to 
time  to  meet  at  the  same  or  some  other 
place  in  the  district.  Every  person  who 
shall  vote  illegally  in  any  school  district 
meeting  shall  be  fined  not  more  than  thirty 
dollars. 

§  2198.  Committee  and  other  officers 
of  district.  Each  school  district,  unless 
otherwise  provided  by  law,  shall  choose  by 
ballot,  at  the  annual  meeting,  a  committee  of 
not  more  than  three  persons,  a  clerk,  who 
shall  be  sworn,  a  treasurer,  and  a  collector, 
who  shall  hold  their  respective  offices  for  the 
period  of  one  year  from  the  fifteenth  day 
of  July  next  succeeding,  and  until  others 
are  chosen  and  qualified;  and  any  resident 
of  the  district  so  chosen  who  shall  refuse 
or  neglect  to  perform  the  duties  of  the 
office,  shall  pay  five  dollars  to  said  district; 
but  any  new  district  may  at  its  first  or  at 
any  subsequent  meeting,  called  by  the 
selectmen  of  the  town,  choose  its  officers 
who  shall  hold  office  till  the  annual  meet- 
ing of  such  district.  The  members  of  the 
district  committee  shall  be  residents  of  the 
district;  but  the  other  offices  may  be  filled 
by  any  inhabitants  of  the  town  to  which 
said   district  belongs. 

§  2199.    Committee  in  districts  having 
two   hundred   children.     Any   school   dis- 
trict   having   by   its   last    enumeration   not 
172 


less  than  two  hundred  children  between 
four  and  sixteen  years  of  age,  may,  at 
any  annual  meeting,  due  notice  being  in- 
serted in  the  call  therefor,  order  that  its 
committee  shall  consist  of  three  persons 
chosen  by  ballot,  divided  into  three  classes 
holding  office  for  one,  two,  and  three  years, 
and  that  annually  thereafter  one  member 
shall  be  chosen  by  ballot,  to  hold  office 
for  three  years.  Should  a  vacancy  occur 
the  remaining  members  of  the  committee 
may  fill  it  until  the  next  annual  district 
meeting,  when  all  vacancies  shall  be  filled. 
Whenever  a  district  has  appointed  its 
committee  as  herein  provided  such  dis- 
trict may,  at  any  special  meeting  called 
for  the  purpose,  vote  that  it  will  no  longer 
so  appoint  its  committee ;  thereupon  the 
terms  of  office  of  all  the  members  of  its 
committee  shall  end  at  its  next  annual 
meeting  and  thereafter  its  committee  shall 
be  appointed  according  to  the  provisions 
of  section  2198. 

§  2200.  Majority  to  elect.  In  the  elec- 
tion of  officers  of  a  school  district  a  ma- 
jority of  the  votes  cast  shall  be  required 
to  elect,  unless  otherwise  expressly  pro- 
vided. 

§  2201.  Certificate  of  election  of  offi- 
cers.    The   clerk  of  every   school   district 

173 


shall,  within  thirty  days  after  the  election 
of  officers  in  such  district,  forward  to  the 
secretary  of  the  board  of  school  visitors 
of  the  town  wherein  said  school  district 
is  located,  a  certified  list  of-  the  officers 
elected  at  such  meeting,  together  with  the 
post-office  address  of  each.  If  a  district  is 
situated  partly  in  two  or  more  towns  such 
list  shall  be  sent  to  the  secretary  of  the 
board  of  school  visitors  of  each  of  said 
towns.  Every  clerk  who  shall  fail  to  com- 
ply with  any  provision  of  this  section 
shall  be  fined  not  more  than  ten  dollars. 

§  2202.     Vacancies,   how   filled.     If   a 

district,  at  the  time  for  the  annual  meeting, 
shall  fail  to  appoint  all,  or  any,  of  its 
officers,  or  if  a  vacancy  shall  occur,  the 
school  visitors  of  the  town  to  which  such 
district  belongs  shall  make  such  appoint- 
ment and  fill  such  vacancy;  and  shall  lodge 
the  names  of  the  officers,  so  appointed, 
with  the  district  clerk.  This  section  shall 
not  apply  to  vacancies  occurring  under  the 
provisions    of   section   2199. 

§  2209.  Site  of  schoolhouse  how  fixed. 

Any  school  district,  by  a  vote  of  two-thirds 
of  those  present  and  voting  at  a  legally 
warned  meeting  of  the  district,  may  fix  or 
change  the  site  of  a  schoolhouse;  but  if 
such  two-thirds  vote  cannot  be  obtained 
in    favor   of   any   site,    the    school   visitors 

174 


of  any  town  adjoining  the  town  or  either 
of  the  towns  in  which  such  district  is,  on 
application  of  the  district,  shall,  after  con- 
ferring with  the  school  visitors  of  the 
town  or  towns  in  which  such  district  is 
situated,  fix  the  site,  and  make  return  to 
the  town  clerk  of  the  town  in  which  such 
site  is  located;  and  shall  receive  a  rea- 
sonable compensation  for  their  services 
from   said   district. 

§  2212.  Consolidation  of  districts. 
Any  town  may  abolish  all  the  school  dis- 
tricts, and  parts  of  school  districts,  within 
its  limits,  and  assume  and  maintain  control 
of  the  public  schools  therein,  subject  to  the 
requirements  and  restrictions  imposed  by 
the  general  assembly;  and  for  this  purpose 
every  such  town  shall  constitute  one  school 
district,  having  all  the  powers  and  duties 
of  a  school  district,  with  the  exceptions 
hereinafter  stated. 

§  2213.  Vote  to  be  by  ballot  at 
annual  meeting.  Whenever  a  vote  shall 
be  taken  in  any  town  in  reference  to  abol- 
ishing school  districts  and  assuming  con- 
trol of  public  schools  therein,  such  vote 
shall  be  by  ballot  at  an  annual  town  meet- 
ing, upon  notice  thereof  given  in  the  warn- 
ing. The  selectmen  shall  provide  a  ballot 
box  for  that  purpose,  marked  "  Consolida- 
tion of  Districts."    Those  in  favor  of  such 

175 


consolidation  shall  deposit  in  said  box  a 
ballot  with  the  word  "  Yes "  written  or 
printed  thereon,  and  those  opposed  shall 
deposit  a  ballot  with  the  word  "  No  "  writ- 
ten or  printed  thereon,  and  in  towns  divided 
into  wards  or  voting  districts  for  annual 
town  meetings  such  a  ballot  box  shall  be 
provided  at  each  of  such  wards  or  voting 
districts,  and  the  ballots  shall  be  examined, 
assorted,  counted,  and  declared  in  the  man- 
ner provided  by  law. 

§  2214.  When  vote  to  consolidate 
takes  effect.  A  vote  to  consolidrte  the 
school  districts  in  any  town  into  one  dis- 
trict shall  take  effect  on  the  first  Monday 
of  July  next  succeeding  said  vote,  and  an^ 
town  assuming  the  control  of  its  public 
schools,  as  provided  in  this  chapter,  may 
at  any  annual  meeting,  not  previous  to  the 
fifth  annual  meeting  thereafter,  vote  to 
abandon  such  control  and  re-establish  the 
several  districts  as  they  were  before  said 
action,  which  vote  shall  be  by  ballot,  in  the 
manner  prescribed  in  section  2213. 

§  2215.  As  amended  by  Section  1, 
Chap.  97,  Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Number 
and  election  of  committee;  qualifica- 
tions. The  selectmen  of  a  town  voting  to 
consolidate  shall  determine,  not  later  than 
the  first  Monday  of  May,  the  number  of 
which  the  town  school  committee  shall  con- 
176 


sist.  Such  committee  shall  consist  of  either 
three,  six,  nine,  or  twelve  residents  of  said 
town.  Every  such  town  shall,  at  a  special 
meeting  of  said  town  called  for  the  purpose 
by  the  selectmen,  to  be  held  on  the  first 
Monday  of  June  following,  elect  by  ballot 
a  town  school  committee  of  the  number 
determined  upon  by  said  selectmen.  In  all 
cases  the  number  of  the  committee  to  be 
elected  shall  be  stated  in  the  warning  of 
said  meeting.  Such  election  shall  be  con- 
ducted in  the  same  manner  as  the  annual 
elections  of  towns. 

§  2216.  As  amended  by  Section  2, 
Chap.  97,  Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Minority 
representation  on  committee;  terms  of 
office.  If  the  number  of  the  committee  to 
be  elected  shall  be  six  or  twelve  no  person 
shall  vote  for  more  than  half  that  number; 
if  the  number  be  nine,  no  person  shall  vote 
for  more  than  five,  and  the  six,  nine,  or 
twelve  persons,  as  the  case  may  be",  receiv- 
ing the  highest  number  of  votes,  shall  be 
the  town  school  committee  of  said  town 
for  the  respective  terms  as  hereinafter  pro- 
vided, commencing  on  the  first  Monday  of 
July  next  following.  The  members  of  such 
committee  so  elected  shall  divide  them- 
selves into  three  equal  classes,  holding  of- 
fice respectively  until  the  second,  third, 
and  fourth  subsequent  annual  town  elec- 
tions of  said  town,  at  which  elections  and 
177 


at  every  annual  election,  subsequent  to  the 
last  thereof,  two,  three,  or  four  members, 
as  the  case  may  be,  shall  be  elected  by  bal- 
lot for  a  term  of  three  years,  in  the  man- 
ner prescribed  in  section  2133.  If  the  num- 
ber of  the  committee  to  be  elected  shall 
be  three,  the  members  thereof  shall  all  be 
annually  elected  at  the  annual  town  meet- 
ing, and  no  person  shall  vote  for  more  than 
two ;  the  three  persons  receiving  the  high- 
est number  of  votes  shall  be  such  town 
school  committee. 

§  2217.  School  business  to  be  done 
at  town  meetings.  All  business  relating 
to  public  schools  in  such  towns  shall  be 
transacted  at  town  meetings. 

§  2218.  General  powers  of  town 
school  committee.  The  town  school  com- 
mittee shall  have  the  powers  and  duties  of 
high  school  committees,  district  committees, 
and  boards  of  school  visitors ;  shall  see 
that  good  public  schools  of  the  different 
grades  are  maintained  in  the  various  parts 
of  the  town,  for  not  less  than  the  length 
of  time  that  would  be  required  had  no  such 
consolidation  been  made ;  manage  the  prop- 
erty of  the  town  pertaining  to  schools ;  ex- 
amine, employ,  and  dismiss  the  teachers 
for  the  schools  of  such  towns ;  lodge  all 
bonds,  leases,  notes,  and  other  securities 
with  the  treasurer  of  said  town,  unless  the 

178 


same  have  been  intrusted  to  others  by  the 
grantors,  or  the  general  assembly;  pay  the 
town  treasurer  all  moneys  which  they  may 
receive  for  the  support  of  schools ;  deter- 
mine the  number  and  qualifications  of  the 
scholars  to  be  admitted  into  each  school ; 
designate  the  schools  which  shall  be  at- 
tended by  the  children  within  their  juris- 
diction, and  may  arrange  with  the  com- 
mittee of  any  adjacent  town  or  district  for 
the  instruction  therein  of  such  children  as 
may  attend  there  more  conveniently;  shall 
fill  vacancies  in  their  own  number  until  the 
next  annual  town  meeting  when  vacancies 
shall  be  filled  as  provided  in  section  2215, 
and  the  ballots  shall  distinctly  specify  the 
vacancy  to  be  filled;  shall  annually,  during 
the  first  two  weeks  of  September,  ascer- 
tain the  expenses  of  maintaining  the  schools 
under  their  superintendence,  during  the 
year  ending  the  fourteenth  day  of  the  pre- 
vious July,  and  report  the  same,  with  the 
amount  of  moneys  received  toward  the  pay- 
ment thereof,  to  the  annual  town  meeting, 
and  shall,  at  the  same  time,  make  a  full 
report  of  their  doings,  and  the  condition  of 
the  schools  under  their  superintendence, 
and  of  all  important  matters  concerning 
the  same;  and  shall  perform  all  lawful 
acts  which  may  be  required  of  them  by  the 
town  or  which  may  be  necessary  to  carry 
into  effect  the  provisions  of  this  title. 

§  2219.     Property  of  consolidated  dis- 
179 


tricts.  Such  towns  shall  assume  the  prop- 
erty and  be  responsible  for  the  debts  of 
the  districts  within  their  respective  limits. 
Such  property  shall  be  appraised  and  the 
amount  of  the  debts  estimated  under  the 
direction  of  the  town,  and  the  appraised 
value  of  such  property  may  be  raised  by  a 
tax  to  be  laid  by  the  town  6n  its  grand  list 
next  completed;  and  if  such  tax  is  raised, 
the  taxpayers  in  each  of  the  districts  prev- 
iously existing  shall  be  paid  or  credited  on 
the  rate  bill  with  their  respective  propor- 
tions of  any  excess  of  the  property  of  such 
district  over  and  above  its  liabilities,  ts 
ascertained  by  the  town;  or  the  difference 
in  the  value  of  the  property  of  the  several 
districts  may  be  adjusted  in  any  other  man- 
ner agreed  upon  by  the  parties  in  interest. 
Permanent  funds  vested  in  any  town  for 
school  purposes  shall  remain  in  charge  of 
the  school  fund  treasurer  of  the  town. 

§  2220.  Time  for  paying  tax  ex- 
tended. Whenever  any  town  shall  have 
assumed  control  of  and  appraised  the  school 
property  as  provided  in  section  2219,  the 
town  may,  by  vote  in  town  meeting,  extend 
the  time  in  which  the  taxpayers  of  any 
district  or  districts  shall  be  required  to  pay 
the  excess  of  assessment  over  the  ap- 
praised value  of  the  property  in  such  dis- 
trict for  a  period  not  exceeding  five  years, 
and  all  the  property  belonging  to  the  school 
districts  over  which  any  town  has  assumed 
180 


or  shall  assume  control  shall  be  vested  in 
such  town  to  be  held  for  school  purposes 
so  long  as  so  required,  and  may  be  sold 
and  deeded  by  said  town  when  not  required 
for  school  purposes. 


§  2221.  As  amended  by  Chapter  17, 
Pub.  Acts,  1905.  Proceedings  in  case  of 
joint  districts.  Whenever  any  town  has 
voted,  or  shall  vote,  to  assume  control  of 
all  the  schools,  as  provided  in  this  chapter, 
in  case  there  is  a  joint  district  the  select- 
men of  the  towns  out  of  which  such  joint 
district  is  formed  shall  meet  within  ten  days 
after  receiving  a  written  request  for  such 
meeting  signed  by  the  first  selectman  of  ei- 
ther of  said  towns,  and  appraise  the  school- 
house  and  other  school  property  owned  and 
used  by  said  joint  district  and  determine 
what  proportion  is  owned  by  the  inhabi- 
tants of  the  towns  residing  in  said  district. 
If  the  several  boards  of  selectmen  shall  not 
agree,  the  same  shall  be  determined  by  a 
judge  of  the  superior  court  upon  applica- 
tion of  either  of  the  boards  of  selectmen, 
and  his  decision  shall  be  final.  The  propor- 
tion belonging  to  the  taxpayers  of  the  town 
in  which  the  property  is  not  located,  after 
deducting  the  indebtedness  of  the  district, 
shall  be  paid  to  the%treasurer  of  such  town 
by  the  treasurer  of  the  town  in  which  such 
property  is   located. 

181 


§  2222.  Management  of  permanent 
funds.  In  case  any  school  district,  form- 
erly existing  in  a  town  in  which  the  schooi 
districts  have  been  or  shall  be  abolished  or 
consolidated,  has  received  a  permanent  fund 
for  the  support  of  a  school  or  schools  in 
said  district,  the  school  fund  treasurer  shall 
have  charge  of  it,  and  keep  a  separate  ac- 
count thereof;  and  the  income  of  said  fund 
shall  be  held  subject  to  the  order  of  the 
town  school  committee,  which  shall  applv 
it  for  the  benefit  of  the  school  or  schools 
within  or  nearest  to  the  limits  of  the  dis- 
trict formerly  existing,  in  such  manner 
as  to  carry  out,  as  nearly  as  possible,  the 
intent  of  the  grantor  of  said  fund. 

§  2223.  School  libraries.  Every  such 
town  shall  be  entitled  to  receive  from  the 
state,  annually,  and  upon  the  conditions  pre- 
scribed for  school  districts,  for  the  purposes 
of  school  libraries,  a  sum  not  exceeding 
the  aggregate  amount  which  the  former 
districts  of  said  town  might  have  received 
in  like  circumstances. 

§  2224.  Payment  of  school  expenses. 
The  expenses  of  maintaining  public  schools 
in  such  towns,  which  shall  be  incurred  with 
the  approval  of  the  town  school  committee, 
shall  be  paid  by  the  town  treasurer  on  or- 
ders drawn  by  the  town  school  committee, 

182 


except  so  far  as  they  may  be  met  by  the 
income  from  local  school  funds. 

§  2225.  Notice  when  part  of  dis- 
trict is  abolished.  When  any  part  of  a 
school  district  lying  in  two  or  more  towns 
shall  be  abolished  or  consolidated  by  either, 
its  selectmen  shall  give  immediate  notice 
thereof  to  the  selectmen  of  the  other  town 
or  towns,  which  shall  thereafter  provide  for 
the  schooling  of  the  children  belonging 
thereto,  who  formerly  belonged  to  said 
school  district. 

§  2226.  Settlement  of  affairs  of 
abolished  district.  Any  school  district 
which  has  been,  or  shall  be,  abolished  by 
any  town,  may  settle  and  close  up  its  af- 
fairs ;  and  its  district  committee  last  elected, 
or  the  selectmen  of  said  town,  may  call 
special  meetings  of  the  district. 

§  2227.  Payment  of  debts  of  such 
district.  If  any  such  district  has,  or  shall, 
become  liable,  by  judgment  or  otherwise, 
to  pay  any  claims  or  demands  upon  it,  or 
if  expenses  and  liabilities  have  been  or 
shall  be  incurred  by  it  in  settling  up  its  af- 
fairs, after  consolidation,  the  selectmen  of 
said  town,  upon  the  request  of  said  dis- 
trict, shall  pay  the  same  and  charge  the 
amount  to  the  district,  and  said  amount 
shall  be  raised  by  the  selectmen  adding  the 

183 


same  to  the  tax  to  be  laid  by  the  said  town 
on  its  grand  list  next  completed  of  the 
taxable  property  of  such  district. 

§  2228.  Collection  of  taxes  of  such 
district.  Said  selectmen  shall  collect  all 
taxes,  claims,  and  demands  in  favor  of 
such  district,  in  the  name  of  the  district, 
and  credit  the  same  to  the  district,  less  ex- 
penses of  collection. 

§  2229.  Towns  to  be  reimbursed  for 
improvements.  When  any  town  has  voted 
to  re-establish  its  school  districts  as  pro- 
vided in  section  2214,  each  of  the  districts 
shall  pay  the  town  for  all  improvements 
which  the  town  has  made  on  the  school- 
house,  its  furniture,  and  appurtenances 
within  the  district.  The  amounts  to  be 
thus  paid  shall  be  determined  by  the  select- 
men and  the  town  school  committee.  When 
such  payments  are  made  the  town  shall  re- 
store or  make  good  to  each  of  the  dis- 
tricts the  school  property  and  local  funds 
formerly  belonging  to  the  district.  If  any 
district  shall  refuse  or  neglect  to  make  the 
payment  required  by  this  section  till  the 
expiration  of  six  months  after  the  passage 
of  the  vote  of  the  town  to  re-establish  the 
districts,  the  selectmen  may  cause  a  tax 
sufficient  to  make  saH  payment,  including 
the  cost  of  laying  and  v  Electing  such  tax, 
to  be  laid  on  the  district  in  the  manner 
provided  by  law  for  school  district  taxes 
184 


except  that  the  selectmen  shall  perform  the 
duties  required  of  district  committees  there- 
in, and  to  be  collected  and  paid  to  the  town. 

§  2230.  Vote  to  re-establish.  A  vote 
to  re-establish  the  school  districts  shall  not 
take  effect  further  than  to  authorize  the 
district  to  hold  meetings,  lay  and  collect 
taxes,  and  appoint  officers  for  these  pur- 
poses, till  all  the  settlements  and  payments 
required  by  section  2229  have  been  made ; 
and  unless  such  payments  and  settlements 
are  made  within  one  year  after  the  passage 
of  said  vote  said  vote  shall  be  null  and 
void. 

§  2231.  Town  school  committee  to 
become  school  visitors.  When  any  town 
in  which  the  school  districts  have  been  con- 
solidated has  abandoned  or  shall  abandon 
such  system,  the  persons  elected  school  com- 
mittee of  such  consolidated  districts  at  the 
election  next  preceding  such  abandonment 
shall  be  and  remain  the  members  of  the 
board  of  school  visitors  of  such  town,  with 
all  the  powers  and  duties  of  school  visitors, 
during  the  term  for  which  they  were  or 
may  be  respectively  elected,  in  the  same 
manner  as  if  elected  school  visitors  of  such 
town. 

§  2232.  Taking  land  for  school  pur- 
poses.   Towns  shall  have  the  same  powers, 

as 


and  be  subject  to  the  same  regulations,  as 
school  districts,  in  taking  land  for  school- 
houses,  outbuildings,  and  convenient  ac- 
commodations  for  schools. 

§  2233.  Powers  and  duties.  The  com- 
mittee of  every  district  shall  give  due 
notice  of  all  meetings  of  the  district;  may 
call  a  special  meeting  thereof  at  any  time, 
and  shall  call  one  on  the  written  request 
of  one-fifth  or  of  ten  of  the  legal  voters 
in  the  district  stating  the  object  for  which 
a  meeting  is  desired,  to  be  held  within 
fifteen  days  after  such  request  is  pre- 
sented; and  for  any  failure  so  to  comply 
with  such  request  they  shall  be  fined  not 
more  than  thirty  dollars.  They  shall  pro- 
vide suitable  schoolrooms,  and  furnish  the 
same  with  fuel  properly  prepared;  visit  the 
schools,  by  one  or  more  of  their  number, 
twice  at  least  during  each  term;  shall, 
when  the  scholars  are  not  properly  supplied 
with  books,  and  their  parents  are  too  poor 
to  furnish  them,  provide  the  same,  the  cost 
thereof  to  be  included  in  the  incidental  ex- 
penss  of  the  term;  shall  suspend,  or  expel 
from  school  for  the  term,  or  for  any  part 
thereof,  all  pupils  found  guilty,  on  full 
hearing,  of  incorrigibly  bad  conduct;  and 
shall  give  such  information  and  assistance 
to  the  school  visitors  of  the  town  as  they 
may  require. 

186 


§  2236.  High  schools  may  be  estab- 
lished by  towns.  Any  town  may  es- 
tablish and  maintain  a  high  school  within 
its  limits,  and  for  such  purpose  purchase, 
receive,  hold,  and  convey  any  property, 
build  and  repair  schoolhouses,  lay  taxes, 
and  make  contracts  and  adopt  regulations 
for  the  management  of  such   school. 

§  2237.  High  school  committee,  how 
chosen.  Any  town  which  is  not  a  con- 
solidated district  may  choose  by  ballot  at 
its  annual  town  meeting  a  committee  of 
three,  four,  or  five  residents  of  the  town, 
who  shall  have  all  such  powers  and  be 
subject  to  such  duties  in  relation  to  such 
schools  as  are  by  law  imposed  upon  dis- 
trict committees  in  relation  to  district 
schools.  If  the  number  to  be  chosen  is 
three  or  four,  no  person  shall  vote  for  more 
than  two;  if  five,  for  not  more  than  three. 
The  number  of  persons  sufficient  to  fill 
the  committee  who  have  the  highest  num- 
ber of  votes  shall  be  elected.  In  case  of  a 
tie  that  person  whose  name  stands  first  or 
highest  on  the  greatest  number  of  ballots 
shall  be  elected. 

§  2638.  License  or  no  license,  when 
and  how  determined.  Upon  the  petition 
of  not  less  than  twenty-five  legal  voters  of 
any  town,  the  selectmen  thereof  shall  notify 

187 


the  legal  voters  of  said  town  that  at  the 
next  annual  town  meeting  a  ballot  will  be 
taken  to  determine  whether  any  person 
shall  be  licensed  to  sell  spirituous  and  in- 
toxicating liquors  in  said  town.  The  ballot 
shall  be  cast  either  in  favor  of  or  against 
the  granting  of  licenses  for  the  sale  of 
spirituous  and  intoxicating  liquors,  and  the 
vote  then  taken  shall  remain  in  full  force 
until  annulled  by  a  new  vote  taken  at  an 
annual  town  meeting,  upon  petition  and 
after  due  notice  as  aforesaid,  which  vote 
shall  become  operative  on  the  first  Monday 
of  the  month  next  succeeding  said  town 
meeting. 

§  2639.  Secret  ballot  on  license  ques- 
tion. Official  envelopes.  When  any  town 
shall  vote  upon  the  question  of  license,  the 
selectmen  of  the  town  shall  provide  a  suita- 
ble ballot  box  for  the  reception  of  the 
license  votes,  which  box  shall  be  marked 
"License,"  and  said  box  shall  be  kept  open 
for  the  reception  of  votes  upon  the  ques- 
tion of  license  during  the  same  hours  as 
is  the  box  for  the  reception  of  the  votes  for 
town  officers.  Box-tenders  and  a  checker 
shall  be  appointed  by  the  registrars  as  is 
provided  for  the  ballot  box  for  the  recep- 
tion of  the  votes  for  town  officers,  and  the 
duties  of  such  box-tenders  and  checker 
shall  be  the  same  as  are  imposed  upon  the 
box-tenders  and  checkers  for  the  ballot 
188 


box  for  town  officers.  The  secretary  of 
state  shall  furnish  the  town  clerk  of  each 
town  voting  on  the  question  of  license, 
upon  application  of  said  town  clerk,  at 
least  three  days  before  election,  a  sufficient 
number  of  official  envelopes  to  supply  each 
of  the  electors  of  said  town.  Said  envelopes 
shall  be  uniform  in  size  and  color,  which 
color  shall  correspond  with  the  color  of 
the  ballots  furnished  under  the  provisions 
of  section  2640.  They  shall  be  self-sealing, 
and  upon  the  face  of  the  envelope  shall  be 
printed  the  word,  "License,"  and  upon  the 
back  the  words,  "Official  envelope."  The 
duties  of  the  tenders  of  the  envelope  booth 
shall  be  the  same  in  regard  to  the  license 
envelopes  as  those  of  official  envelope 
booth-tenders  at  elections.  The  duties  of 
all  other  town  or  election  officers  shall  be 
the  same  in  regard  to  the  "License"  en- 
velopes that  they  are  in  regard  to  the  other 
official  envelopes. 

§  2640.  Secretary  to  furnish  license 
ballots.  Their  form.  When  any  town 
shall  vote  upon  the  question  of  license, 
the  secretary  of  state  shall  furnish  official 
ballots,  of  uniform  size,  color,  quality,  and 
thickness,  which  color  shall  be  different 
from  that  of  the  general  town  ticket.  Said 
ballots  shall  have  upon  the  back  of  each 
the  words,  "Official  Ballot" ;  and  upon  the 
face    of    the    no-license    ballots     shall    be 

189 


printed  the  words,  "License,  No";  and 
upon  the  face  of  the  license  ballots  shall 
be  printed  the  words,  "License,  Yes" ;  and 
the  printing  upon  the  back  shall  be  uniform 
in  all  respects,  and  upon  the  face  shall 
be  uniform  in  all  respects,  as  is  now  pro- 
vided for  in  the  official  ballots  for  town 
officers;  and  any  voter  may  cross  out  the 
word,  "Yes,"  or  the  word,  "No,"  on  any 
ballot,  and  write  in  place  thereof  the  word, 
"No,"  or  the  word,  "Yes."  The  secretary 
shall  furnish  to  such  persons  as  shall  ap- 
ply for  them  such  number  of  official  license 
and  no-license  ballots  as  they  may  desire, 
upon  payment  of  the  cost  thereof.  The 
ballot  provided  for  in  this  section  shall 
be  the  only  legal  ballot  to  be  used  in  vot- 
ing on  the  question  of  license,  and  shall 
be  enclosed  and  sealed  in  the  official 
license  envelope  provided  for  in  section 
2639  by  the  voter  while  within  the  voting 
booth,  and  deposited  in  the  ballot  box  pro- 
vided for  the  license  vote,  under  the  same 
provisions  of  law  that  apply  to  envelopes 
for  town  officers.  The  ballots  thus  cast 
shall  be  counted  and  returned  as  provided 
by  section  1656. 

§  2641.  License  contrary  to  town  vote 
void.  Whenever  any  town  shall  have  voted 
upon  the  question  of  license  as  aforesaid, 
any  license  granted  in  such  town  which  is 

190 


not  in  accordance  with  such  vote  shall  be 
void. 

§  2699.  Liquor  saloons  to  be  closed 
on  election  days.  Every  person  who  by 
himself,  his  servant,  or  agent,  between  the 
hours  of  twelve  o'clock  of  the  night  pre- 
ceding the  day  of  any  state,  town,  or  city 
election  and  five  o'clock  of  the  morning 
following  any  such  election,  shall  keep  open 
any  room,  place,  enclosure,  structure,  or 
building  in  which  spirituous  or  intoxicat- 
ing liquors  are  sold  or  offered  and  exposed 
for  sale  to  be  drunk  on  the  premises ;  and 
every  person  who  by  himself,  his  servant, 
or  agent  shall  keep  open  any  room,  place, 
enclosure,  structure,  or  building  in  which 
spirituous  and  intoxicating  liquors  are  sold 
or  offered  for  sale  to  be  drunk  on  the 
premises  during  the  hours  in  which  any 
borough  election  is  held,  shall  be  subject  to 
the  penalties  of  section  2712. 

§  2722.  Appointment  of  town  agent 
in  no-license  town.  Whenever  any  town 
shall  have  voted  by  ballot  at  its  annual 
town  meeting  that  no  person  shall  receive 
a  license  for  the  sale  or  exchange  of 
spirituous  and  intoxicating  liquors  within 
said  town,  the  selectmen  of  said  town  shall 
appoint  in  towns  of  not  more  than  five 
thousand  inhabitants,  as  established  by  the 
last  preceding  census  of  the  United  States, 
191 


one  suitable  person  to  act  as  the  agent  of 
such  town  for  the  purchase  and  sale  of 
spirituous  and  intoxicating  liquors  within 
the  limits  of  said  town,  for  sacramental, 
medicinal,  chemical,  and  '  mechanical  uses 
only ;  and  in  towns  of  more  than  live  thous- 
and inhabitants,  as  established  by  said 
census,  said  selectmen  may,  at  their  dis- 
cretion, appoint  one  such  agent  for  each 
five  thousand  inhabitants,  and  for  any  frac- 
tion exceeding  one-half  thereof.  Such 
selectmen,  or  a  majority  of  them,  may  re- 
move any  such  agent  or  agents  at  pleasure, 
and  appoint  others  in  their  stead.  Every 
such  agent  shall  hold  his  office  for  one  year 
or  until  the  next  succeeding  board  of 
selectmen  shall  come  into  office,  unless 
sooner  removed.  Such  selectmen  shall 
authorize  the  treasurer  of  said  town  to 
furnish  to  said  agent  the  necessary  money 
for  the  purchase  of  spirituous  and  in- 
toxicating liquors  for  the  uses  aforesaid. 


§  4443.  As  amended  by  Chap.  83, 
Pub.  Acts,  1903,  and  Chap.  114,  Pub. 
Acts,  1905.  Tree  wardens.  Every  town 
shall,  at  its  annual  town  meeting,  elect  a 
tree  warden  who  shall  serve  for  one  year 
from  the  date  of  his  election  and  until  his 
successor  has  been  elected  and  qualified. 
Said  tree  warden  may  appoint  such  number 
of  deputy  tree  wardens  as  he  deems  exped- 


ient,  and  may  at  any  time  remove  them 
from  office.  He  and  his  deputies  shall  re- 
ceive such  compensation  for  their  services 
as  the  town  may  determine,  and,  in  de- 
fault of  such  determination,  as  the  select- 
men may  prescribe.  He  shall  have  the 
care  and  control  of  all  public  shade  trees 
m  the  town,  except  those  in  public  parks  or 
open  places  under  the  jurisdiction  of  park 
commissioners,  and  of  these  he  shall  take 
the  care  and  control  if  so  requested  in 
writing  by  the  park  commissioners.  He 
shall  expend  all  funds  appropriated  for  the 
setting  out  and  maintenance  of  such  trees. 
He  may  prescribe  such  regulations  for  the 
care  and  preservation  of  such  trees,  en- 
forced by  fines,  not  exceeding  twenty  dol- 
lars in  any  one  case,  as  he  may  deem  just 
and  expedient ;  and  such  regulations,  when 
approved  by  the  selectmen  and  posted  on 
the  public  signpost  in  the  town,  shall  have 
the  force  and  effect  of  town  by-laws.  He 
shall  enforce  all  provisions  of  law  for  the 
preservation  of  such  trees;  provided,  that 
such  provisions  do  not  conflict  with  any 
city  or  borough  ordinance.  The  provisions 
of  this  act  shall  not  apply  to  any  town 
which  includes  within  its  limits  a  city  hav- 
ing boundaries  identical  with  the  boundaries 
of  said  town. 

§  4413.     As     amended    by    Chap.     26, 
Pub.    Acts,    1903,    and    Chap.    246,    Pub. 

193 


Acts,  1905.  Naturalization  of  aliens. 
The  superior  court  and  court  of  common 
pleas  in  any  county,  when  sitting  at  any 
place  where  either  of  said  courts  is  author- 
ized to  be  held,  the  district  court  of  Water- 
bury,  the  city  courts  of  Ansonia,  Meriden, 
and  New  Britain  may,  and  no  other  court 
of  the  state  shall,  admit  aliens  to  become 
citizens  of  the  United  States;  and  aliens 
may  declare  their  intention  to  become  citi- 
zens before  the  clerks  of  either  of  said 
courts  in  the  county  in  which  such  aliens 
reside ;  but  no  alien  shall  be  admitted  to  be- 
come a  citizen  by  the  superior  court  or 
court  of  common  pleas  except  in  the  county 
in  which  he  resides,  nor  by  said  district 
court,  or  the  city  court  of  either  of  said 
cities,  unless  he  resides  in  the  territory 
over  which  said  courts  respectively  exer- 
cise jurisdiction;  provided,  however,  that 
for  the  purposes  of  this  section  the  juris- 
diction of  the  city  court  of  Ansonia  shall 
include  the  towns  of  Derby  and  Seymour. 

§  4414.  Sessions  of  courts  for  nat- 
uralization. In  the  counties  of  Windham, 
Middlesex,  and  Tolland,  the  superior  court 
shall  be  in  session  on  the  Friday  of  the 
second  week  before,  and  on  the  day  before, 
the  electors'  meeting  to  be  held  on  the 
Tuesday  after  the  first  Monday  of  Novem- 
ber, 1902,  and  biennially  thereafter,  for  the 
purpose  of  admitting  aliens  to  become  citi- 
194 


zens  of  the  United  States.  The  courts  of 
common  pleas  and  district  court,  respect- 
ively, in  the  other  counties,  shall  be  in  ses- 
sion on  said  days  for  the  same  purpose. 

§  449.  As  amended  by  Chap.  37,  Pub- 
lic Acts,  1905.  Sessions  at  Bristol,  Tor- 
rington  and  Thomaston.  For  the  pur- 
pose of  naturalizing  aliens,  the  court  of 
common  pleas  in  Hartford  county  may  hold 
sessions  in  the  town  of  Bristol,  and  said 
court  in  Litchfield  county  may  hold  ses- 
sions in  the  towns  of  Torrington  and 
Thomaston. 

§  4415.  Record  of  witnesses  and 
their  testimony.  When  either  of  said 
courts  shall  admit  an  alien  to  become  a 
citizen  of  the  United  States,  the  clerk  there- 
of shall  make  a  record  of  the  names  and 
residences  of  all  persons  testifying  in  be- 
half of  such  alien  and  of  the  substance  of 
their  testimony,  and  preserve  the  same; 
and  he  shall  keep  among  the  files  of  said 
court  all  declarations  of  intention  to  be- 
come citizens,  and  certified  copies  of  such 
declarations,  and  all  certificates  that  may 
be  offered  in  evidence  except  discharges 
from  the  army  or  navy  of  the  United  States^ 
and  upon  all  such  discharges  offered  in  evi- 
dence he  shall  indorse  a  certificate  of  the 
naturalization  of  the  persons  holding  the 
same. 

195 


§  44J6.  Naturalization  certificate  must 
be  dated.  Every  certificate  of  naturaliza- 
tion issued  by  any  court  of  this  state  shall 
specify  upon  its  face  the  date  when  it  was 
granted. 

§  4417-  Applicant  to  pay  for  nat- 
uralization papers.  Every  clerk  of  a 
court  issuing  naturalization  papers  who 
shall  not  require  the  payment  of  the  legal 
fee  therefor,  by  the  applicant,  at  the  time 
such  papers  are  delivered,  shall  forfeit  his 
office  and  shall  be  ineligible  to  reappoint- 
ment for  five  years. 

§  4418.  Penalty  if  otherwise  paid. 
Every  person  who  shall  individually  or  as 
a  member  of  any  committee  or  political  or- 
ganization, pay  the  fee  for  naturalization 
papers  issued  to  another,  or  shall  agree  or 
become  obligated  to  pay  therefor,  or  to  re- 
fund the  amount  paid  therefor,  shall  be 
fined  not  less  than  seven  nor  more  than  one 
hundred  dollars. 


196 


Laws  of  the  United  States  Concerning 

Naturalization. 

§  1992.  All  persons  born  in  the  United 
States  and  not  subject  to  any  foreign 
power,  excluding  Indians  not  taxed,  are 
declared  to  be  citizens  of  the  United  States. 

§  1993.  All  children  heretofore  born  or 
hereafter  born  out  of  the  limits  and  juris- 
diction of  the  United  States,  whose  fathers 
were  or  may  be  at  the  time  of  their  birth 
citizens  thereof,  are  declared  to  be  citizens 
of  the  United  States ;  but  the  rights  of 
citizenship  shall  not  descend  to  children 
whose  fathers  never  resided  in  the  United 
States. 

§  1994.  Any  woman  who  is  now  or 
may  hereafter  be  married  to  a  citizen  of 
the  United  States,  and  who  might  herself 
be  lawfully  naturalized,  shall  be  deemed 
a  citizen. 

§  1995.  All  persons  born  in  the  dis- 
trict of  country  formerly  known  as  the 
Territory  of  Oregon,  and  subject  to  the 
jurisdiction  of  the  United  States  on  the 
18th  of  May,  1872,  are  citizens  in  the  same 
manner  as  if  born  elsewhere  in  the  United 
States. 

197 


§  1996.  All  persons  who  deserted  the 
military  or  naval  service  of  the  United 
States  and  did  not  return  thereto  or  report 
themselves  to  a  provost-marshal  within 
sixty  days  after  the  issuance  of  the  proc- 
lamation by  the  President,  dated  the  nth 
day  of  March,  1865,  are  deemed  to  have 
voluntarily  relinquished  and  forfeited  their 
rights  of  citizenship,  as  well  as  their  right 
to  become  citizens ;  and  such  deserters 
shall  be  forever  incapable  of  holding  any 
office  of  trust  or  profit  under  the  United 
States,  or  of  exercising  any  rights  of  citi- 
zens thereof. 

§  1998.  Every  person  who  hereafter  de- 
serts the  military  or  naval  service  of  the 
United  States  or  who,  being  duly  enrolled, 
departs  the  jurisdiction  of  the  district  in 
which  he  is  enrolled,  or  goes  beyond  the 
limits  of  the  United  States,  with  intent  to 
avoid  any  draft  into  the  military  or  naval 
service,  lawfully  ordered,  shall  be  liable  to 
all  the  penalties  and  forfeitures  of  section  . 
nineteen  hundred  and  ninety-six. 

§  5528.  Every  officer  of  the  Army  or 
Navy,  or  other  person  in  the  civil,  military 
or  naval  service  of  the  United  States,  who 
orders,  brings,  keeps,  or  has  under  his  au- 
thority or  control,  any  troops  or  armed 
men  at  any  place  where  a  general  or  spec- 
ial election  is  held  in  any  state,  unless  such 
198 


force  be  necessary  to  repel  armed  enemies 
of  the  United  States  or  to  keep  the  peace 
at  the  polls,  shall  be  fined  not  more  than 
five  thousand  dollars,  and  suffer  imprison- 
ment at  hard  labor  not  less  than  three 
months  nor  more  than  five  years. 

§  5529.  Every  officer  or  other  person  in 
the  military  or  naval  service  who,  by  force, 
threat,  intimidation,  order,  advice,  or  other- 
wise, prevents,  or  attempts  to  prevent,  any 
qualified  voter  of  any  state  from  freely 
exercising  the  right  of  suffrage  at  any  gen- 
eral or  special  election  in  such  state,  shall 
be  fined  not  more  than  five  thousand  dol- 
lars, and  imprisoned  at  hard  labor  not 
more  than  five  years.  , 

§  5530*  Every  officer  of  the  Army  or 
Navy  who  prescribes  or  fixes,  or  attempts 
to  prescribe  or  fix,  whether  by  proclama- 
tion, order,  or  otherwise,  the  qualifications 
of  voters  at  any  election  in  any  state,  shall 
be  punished  as  provided  in  the  preceding 
section. 

§  5531-  Every  officer  or  other  person  in 
the  military  or  naval  service  who,  by  force, 
threat,  intimidation,  order,  or  otherwise, 
compels,  or  attempts  to  compel,  any  officer 
holding  an  election  in  any  state,  to  receive 
a  vote  from  a  person  not  legally  qualified 
to  vote,  or  who  imposes,  or  attempts  to 
199 


impose,  any  regulations  for  conducting  any 
general  or  special  election  in  a  state  dif- 
ferent from  those  prescribed  by  law,  or 
who  interferes  in  any  manner  with  any  of- 
ficer of  an  election  in  the  discharge  of  his 
duty,  shall  be  punished  as  provided  in  sec- 
tion fifty-five  hundred  and  twenty-nine. 

§  5532.  Every  person  convicted  of  any 
of  the  offenses  specified  in  the  five  preced- 
ing sections,  shall,  in  addition  to  the  pun- 
ishments therein  severally  prescribed,  be 
disqualified  from  holding  any  office  of 
honor,  profit,  or  trust  under  the  United 
States ;  but  nothing  in  those  sections  shall 
be  construed  to  prevent  any  officer,  sol- 
dier, sailor,  or  marine  from  exercising  the 
right  of  suffrage,  in  any  election  district 
to  which  he  may  belong,  if  otherwise  quali- 
fied according  to  the  laws  of  the  state  in 
which  he  offers  to  vote. 


Unoei. 


ADMISSION    OF    ELECTORS     29 

In    Hartford   and   Bridgeport    31 

AGENT    OF    TOWN    DEPOSIT    FUND,    election 

of     146 

ALIEN,    naturalization    certificate    of,    must    be 

dated    106 

ALIENS,  records  of  naturalization  of   195 

Sessions  of  courts  for  naturalization  of   .  .    194,  195 
What    courts    have    jurisdiction    of    naturaliza- 
tion of 194 

ALMSHOUSES,    registration    of    inmates    of,    as 

electors  in  New  Haven  and  Danbury    13 

ANNUAL    MEETINGS,    towns    may    provide    at, 

for   repair   of   highways    165 

ANNUAL  TOWN  MEETINGS,   when  held    141 

ANSONIA,  annual  town   meetings  in,  when  held  141 

List  of  electors  of,  how  made   . : 16 

Meetings   for   admission   of   electors  in    34 

APPEALS    from   decisions  of   registrars 19 

ARREST    of    person'  accused    of    offense    in    con- 
nection with   election 104 

ASSESSOR,    penalty    for    refusing    to    accept    of- 
fice of,   after  election    .  . .  . 157 

ASSESSORS,  minority  representation  on  board  of  151 

Terms   of    office   of    145 

To   be    duty   sworn    157 

ASSISTANT  REGISTRAR  may  be  appointed  for 

voting   district    10 

To   be   sworn 11 

When   to   perform   duties  of   registrar    59 

Compensation     of     26 

ASSISTANT   TOWN   CLERK,   women   eligible  to 

office  of    161 

ATTORNEY-GENERAL,   election   and   term   of .  .        2 
Person  receiving  highest  number  of  votes  for, 

to  be  declared  elected    66 

AUDITORS,   election   of    146,  151 

AVON,   divided  into  voting   districts    7 

BALLOT,  may  be  altered  by  voter 54 

No  interference  permitted  in  preparation  of..      54 
1 


Not  counted,  how  disposed  of    52 

Officers  voted   for   on    50 

Official,   to  be  used  in  taking  vote  on  liquor 

license    189 

Result  of,   declared  by  moderator    47 

Vote  taken  by,  at  school  district  meeting,  when  170 

When   not   counted    . . .-% 51 

BALLOTS,  cast  at  city  meeting,  preservation  of  105 
Cast   for   election   of   town   officers  to   be   pre- 
served        153 

Form,   and  how   furnished    36 

How   counted    57 

Peddling  of,  regulated    55 

Penalty    for    printing    unofficial     104 

Rejected,  how  disposed  of    57 

Placed   in  one   envelope    50 

To  be  furnished  by  secretary    38 

To  be  returned  to  ballot  box  and  sealed  up .  .      59 
For    presidential    electors,    how    counted    and 

returned     72 

BALLOT  BOOTHS  to  be  provided  by  selectmen     43 

BALLOT  BOX,  how  sealed 60 

Location    of    44 

May  be   opened   under   authority   of   Judge   of 

Superior    Court     61 

To  be  provided  for  women's  ballots    62 

BALLOT  BOXES,   how  long  to   remain  open  at 

election  of  boards  of  education    167 

To  be  provided  by  selectmen    43 

When  opened    48,  152 

BALLOT  BOX  SEALING  STAMPS  furnished  by 

Secretary   . 60 

BALLOT  BOX  TENDERS,  appointment  of 46 

Not  to  receive  unendorsed  envelopes    44 

BALLOT  RETURNS,   certificate  of,   to  be  made 

bv  moderator  to  Secretary    63 

BARKHAMSTED,  divided  into  voting  districts..        7 

BERLIN,  divided  into  voting  districts   7 

BETHANY,   divided  into  voting  districts   7 

BETTING  on   elections,   penalty   for    96 

BLIND   PERSON,    admission  of,   as  elector    9 

BOARD   OF   EDUCATION,   election  of    167 

BOARD  OF  RELIEF,  election  of   146 

Minority  representation  on 151 

Members  of,  to  be  duly  sworn 157 

BOARD   OF   VOTING   MACHINE   COMMISSION- 
ERS,  establishment   of    117 

BOND,  complainant  in  proceeding  for  correction 

of  errors  in  election  to  give 80 

BOOTH  TENDERS,  appointment  and  duties  of..  52 
BOROUGH,  may  adopt  and  use  voting  machines  117 
BOROUGH   CLERK,    duties   of,    as   to   procuring 

election   envelopes    39,  40 

To  destroy  unused  election  envelopes  and  make 
return  to  Secretary   40 


To  notify  Secretary   of  the  number  of  ballot 

boxes   to   be  used   at   election    61 

BOROUGH  ELECTION,  registrars  to  be  present 

at    56 

BOROUGH  MEETINGS,  warning  of,  how  given. .   141 

BOX  TENDERS,  appointment  of   46 

BRANFORD,   divided   into  voting   districts    7 

BRIDGEPORT,   admission  of  electors  in    31 

Annual  town  meetings  in,  when  held 141 

Divided  into  voting  districts    7 

Electors'  meeting,  how  warned  in   41 

Registry  lists  of,  how  made    22 

Terms   of   office   of   town   officers   of    149 

BRISTOL,    divided   into   voting   districts    7 

BROOKLYN,   divided   into   voting  districts    7 

BURLINGTON,  divided  into  voting  districts   ...       7 
CANDIDATES   FOR   PUBLIC   OFFICE  to  make 

sworn  statement  of  expenses   86 

CANTON,   divided  into  voting  districts    7 

CANVASS  OF  VOTES  for  Representative  in  Con- 
gress          79 

For    state    officers 77 

CAUCUS,  penalty  for  corrupt  practices  at    ... .     95 

When  to  vote  by  ballot    112 

CAUCUSES,    corrupt    practices    at    82 

Application  for  enrolment  for  participation  in  110 
CAUCUSES  AND  POLITICAL  PRIMARIES,  reg- 
ulations for  conduct  of 106 

Penalties  for  violation  of  law  concerning  con- 
duct   of     113 

CENSUS   OF   UNITED    STATES   to    be   used   in 

questions    relating   to   admission    of    electors     26 
CERTIFICATE  of  appointment  of   deputy  regis- 
trar to  be  filed  with  town  clerk    10 

CERTIFICATES  to  be  forwarded  to  Secretary  and 

town    clerk    by    moderator     62 

CHALLENGERS,   appointment  and   duties  of    . .      48 
CHARACTER,  good  moral,  necessary  for  admis- 
sion   as   elector    8 

CHARTER,  revisions  of,  not  repealed  by  general 

statutes    160 

CHATHAM,    divided  into   voting   districts    7 

CHECK  LISTS,  certificate  of,  to  be  delivered  to 

moderator  by  checkers    56 

CHECKERS,   to   deliver   certificate  to   moderator     56 
CITIZENS    OF    THE    UNITED    STATES,    admis- 
sion of  as  electors   8 

Who   are    197 

CITIZENSHIP,    deserters    deemed    to    have    for- 
feited rights  of    198 

CITY,  may  adopt  and  use  voting  machines 117 

CITIES,  lists  of  electors  in,  to  be  printed 17 

CITY   CLERK,    duties   of,    as   to   procuring   elec- 
tion  envelopes    39,  40 

To  destroy  unused  election  envelopes  and  make 

3 


return   to    Secretary    40 

To  notify  Secretary   of  the  number  of   ballot 

boxes  to  be  used   at  election    61 

CITY  ELECTIONS, 'registrars  to  be  present  at..      56 

How  contested    158   159 

CITY  MEETINGS,  how  warned  and  held 105 

Preservation   of   ballots   cast   at    105 

Warning  of,  how  given    141 

Who  may  vote  at 49,  105 

CITY  OFFICER,   election  of,   how  contested  158,  159 
CLERK   OF   PROBATE   COURT,   appointment  of       3 
CLERK  OF  SCHOOL  DISTRICT  to  make  certifi- 
cate of  election  of  school  officers    173 

CLERKS  OF  COURTS  to  certify  names  of  male 

convicts    to    selectmen    18 

COLLECTOR   OF  TOWN  TAXES,   election  of   .  .    146 

Not  to  hold  office  of  selectman    152 

To  be  dulv  sworn    157 

COMMISSIONERS,  VOTING  MACHINE,  appoint- 
ment and  duties  of   117 

COMPENSATION  of  registrars,  deputy  registrars 

and    assistants    26 

COMPTROLLER,   person   receiving  highest   num- 
ber of  votes  for,  to  be  declared  elected  ....      6G 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled    67 

COMPTROLLER,     SECRETARY     AND     TREAS- 
URER to  canvass  votes 66,  70 

To    canvass    vote    for    Representative    in    Con- 
gress       79 

To   canvass  vote  for  Presidential   Electors  and 

Members  of  Congress 80 

CONGRESSMAN,    canvass   of   vote   for 79,80 

Correction  of  errors  in  election  of    76 

Elected   by   plurality  vote    71 

Election    of     3,  71 

Vacancy  in  office,  how  filled    78 

CONGRESSIONAL    DISTRICTS    3 

CONSOLIDATED    SCHOOL    DISTRICTS,    dispo- 
sition of  property  of    179 

Extension    of    time    for    payment    of   excess   of 

assessment    in     . 180 

Management    of    permanent    funds    of    former 

district  in 182 

Pavment  of  expenses  of    182 

CONSOLIDATION  OF  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS    .  .  .    175 

Proceedings  in  case  of  joint  district    1S1 

When    to    take    effect 176 

CONSTABLE,  office  of,  shall  not  be  held  by  any 
judge 'or   justice   of   the   peace   except   judge 

of  a  court  of  probate   161 

To  be   sworn   and   oath   recorded    156 

CONSTABLES,    election    of 146 

Minority'  representation 151 

CONVENTION,    penalty   for   corrupt   practices  at     95 
CONVICTS;    male,    clerks    of    courts    to    certify 
4 


names  of,   to  selectmen    18 

CORRUPT    PRACTICES    at    elections,    caucuses 

and    primaries    ..  .  82 

In    political    meetings,    penalty    for 95 

COUNTER,  how  punished  for  delay  in  counting 

or   declaring   vote    .  .  97 

COUNTERS,   appointment  and   duties   of    57 

To  deliver  certificate  to  moderators   57 

Certificates  how  disposed  of 58 

COURT    OF    PROBATE,    how   constituted    2 

CRIMINAL,    penalty    for    discharge    of,    on    elec- 
tion   day    ..,,..  81 

DANBURY,  divided  into  voting  districts   ......  7 

Registration  of  inmates  of  almshouses  as  elect* 

ors    in    13 

DEPUTY  REGISTRAR  to  become  registrar,  when  10 

To  be  sworn   ...... 11 

When    to    perform    duties    as   registrar    ......  59 

DEPUTY   REGISTRARS,    compensation   of    .  . .  .  26 

Duties  of   10 

Appointment    of     9 

DEPUTY  TREE  WARDENS,  appointment  of    ..  192 

DERBY,   divided  into  voting  districts .  7 

Electors'  meeting,  how  warned  in   41 

DESERTERS  deemed  to  have  forfeited  rights  of 

citizenship 198 

DISTRICT  COMMITTEE,   election  and  terms   of 

office    of    172 

May  be  divided  into  classes 172 

Powers  and  duties  of 186 

Vacancy  in,  how  filled    173 

DISTRICT,  SCHOOL,  in  two  towns  may  be  dis- 
solved  by   either 168 

Formation  and  alteration  of    168, 

Meetings     of     168 

Special  meetings  of   171 

DISTRICTS,  organization  of,   for  municipal  pur- 
poses   161 

DISTRICTS      FOR      MUNICIPAL      PURPOSES, 

changes    in    boundaries    of     163 

Condemnation  of  land  by    163 

Drains  or  sewers  in,  how  paid  for 163 

Officers    of     163 

Powers    of    162 

Powers  of,  restricted   165 

EAST  LYME,   divided  into  voting  districts 7 

EAST  WINDSOR,  divided  into  voting  districts .  .  7 

EDUCATION,  election  of  boards  of    167 

ELECTION,   arrest  of  person  accused  of  offense 

in  connection  with    104 

Penalty   for   betting  on    96 

Penalty    for    keeping    troops    at    place    where 

held    198,200 

Penalty  for  restraining  person  from  exercising 
right  of  suffrage  at 199,  200 

5 


Penalty  for  United  States  officers  fixing  qual- 
ifications for  voters  at   199,  200 

ELECTION  DAY,  penalty  for  discharge  of  crim- 
inal  on    81 

Liquor  saloons  to  be  closed  on   191 

ELECTION  ENVELOPES,  how  endorsed 44 

ELECTION  OF  CITY  OFFICERS,   meetings  for, 

how  warned   and  held    105 

Who  may  vote  at    105 

Preservation   of  ballots   cast   at    105 

ELECTION  OF  SHERIFF  OR  JUDGE  OF  PRO- 
BATE,   how    contested    70 

ELECTION   OFFICER,    penalty   for   intimidation 

of,  by  United  States  officer 199,  200 

ELECTION  OFFICERS  to  be  sworn 41 

ELECTION    OFFICIALS    may    be    removed    by 

registrars     64 

ELECTION  RETURNS,   Secretary  to  send  forms 

for  to  town  clerk    64 

ELECTIONS,    corrupt   practices   at    82 

Penalties  for  offenses  in  connection  with   ....  101 

Use  of  voting  machines  at    117 

ELECTOR,  addition  of  name  of,  to  registry  list 

at   electors'   meeting    21 

Application    for    making   of,    how    made    ....  12 
Good  moral  character  necessary  for  admission 

as    8 

Enrolled    for    participation    in    caucus,    trans- 
fer of  name  of    Ill 

Idiot  or  insane  person  not  to  be  admitted  as  9 

Interference  with,   prohibited    54 

May    appeal    from    decision    of    registrars    to 

selectmen  and  town  clerk    19 

Prosecution  for  procuring  oneself  to  be  made, 

without    qualification    81 

When  blind  person  may  be  admitted  as    ... .  9 

ELECTORAL  COLLEGE,  filling  of  vacancy  in  .  .  73 

Meeting    of     72 

ELECTORS,    admission    of     29 

Admission  of,  in  Hartford  and  Bridgeport   ...  31 
Admitted,    list    of,    to    be    delivered    to    town 

clerk     31 

Census  of   United   States   to   be   used   in   ques- 
tions relating  to  admission  of    26 

Correction  of  lists  of    19 

Enrolment    of,    for    participation    in    primaries 

and    caucuses 106 

Lists  of,  in  cities  to  be  printed 17 

Lists    of,    in    Hartford,    Bridgeport    and    New 

Britain   how   made    22 

Lists    of,    in   towns   of   less   than   10,000    how 

made    15 

Lists  of,  to  be  deposited  in  town  clerk's  office  21 

Making  of  lists  of    11 

May    vote    at    town    meeting    for    election    of 

6 


officers    143 

Meetings  for  admission  of,  in  Ansonia    34 

Meetings  for  admission  of,  when  to  close  at  5 

o'clock    29 

Penalty   for  influencing  to  refrain  from  voting  99 
Penalty  for  unlawful  sessions  of  board  for  ad- 
mission of   98 

Registration  of    11 

Records  of  persons  applying  for  admission  as, 

to   be  kept    17 

Sessions    of    registrars    to    perfect    and    revise 

lists    of    13 

"To  be  made,"  lists  of    25 

Who  may  be  admitted   8 

Who  are  inmates  of  almshouses  in  New  Haven 

and    Danbury,    registration    of    13 

ELECTORS  OF  PRESIDENT  AND  VICE-PRESI- 
DENT, correction  of  errors  in  election  of .  .  70 

ELECTORS'    MEETING,    how    warned    41 

Penalty  for  failure  to  warn    97 

To   fill  vacancy  in   office   of   Representative   in 

Congress     78 

To  fill  vacancy  in  office  of  representative    ...  65 

Selectmen  to  provide  voting  places  for   42 

Suppression  of  disorder  at   SI 

Where  held    160 

Ballot  boxes  at,   when  opened    48 

Registrars  to  be  present  at   56 

Moderators   of,   how   appointed    46 

Who   may   vote   at    49 

ELECTORS    OF    TOWN    OF    ANSONIA,    list   of, 

how  made   16 

EMPLOYER,  penalty  for  attempting  to  influence 

vote  of  operative   96 

ENGLISH   LANGUAGE,   knowledge   of   necessary 

to    admission    as    an    elector     8 

ENVELOPE,  what  ballots  may  be  placed  in    .  .  50 
ENVELOPE   BOOTHS  to   be  provided  by  select- 
men       43 

ENVELOPE  AND  BALLOT  RETURNS,  certificate 

of,  to  be  made  bv  moderator  to  Secretary.  .  63 
ENVELOPES,    ELECTION,    form    of,    and    how 

furnished      39 

How  endorsed 44 

ENVELOPES,  unused  election,  to  be  destroyed.  .  40 

ENFIELD,  divided  into  voting  districts   7 

ESSEX,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

EVENING  SCHOOLS,  establishment  of,  in  small- 
er towns    167 

FAIRFIELD,    divided  into  voting   districts  •.  . .  .  7 

FALSE   REGISTRATION,    penalty   for    98 

FALSE    SWEARING   before   registrar,   moderator 

or  board,  penalty  for    100 

FALSE    USE    OF    NAME    of    another    in   voting, 

penalty  for    09 


FARMINGTON,   divided   into   voting  districts    .  .        7 

FIRST  SELECTMAN,  when  town  agent 151 

FORMS    for    return    of    election    of    presidential 
electors   to   be   transmitted    by    Secretary   to 

town    clerk    72 

For   returns   of   election   to   be   sent   by   Secre- 
tary to  town  clerk 64 

FRAUD  OF  OFFICIAL,  in  connection  with  elec- 
tion,  penalty   for    9S 

FRAUDULENT  REGISTRATION,  penalty  for    ..      98 

FRAUDULENT    VOTING,    penalty    for    100 

GENERAL  ASSEMBLY,  penalty  for  illegal  prac- 
tices at  election  for  member  of    1 

To  choose  sheriff  in  case  of  tie 67 

When  to  choose  state  officers '. 66 

When  to  fill  vacancy  in  office  of  sheriff    ....      68 

When    to    fill    vacancy    in    state    officers    67 

GOVERNOR,    person    receiving    highest    number 

of  votes  for,  to  be  declared  elected   66 

To  appoint  voting  machine  commissioners  ....   117 

When  to  fill  vacancy  in  office  of  sheriff 68 

When   to   fill  vacancy   in   state   officers    67 

GRAND  JUROR  to  be  sworn  and  oath  recorded  156 

GRAND  JURORS,  election  of   146 

Minority    representation    151 

GR  IS  WOLD,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

GROTON,    divided    into    voting    districts    7 

HADDAM,    divided    into   voting   districts    7 

HARTFORD,  admission  of  electors  in   31 

Annual   town   meetings   in,    when    held    141 

Divided   into   voting   districts 7 

Election    of    constables    in    147 

Registry  lists  of,   how  made    22 

Terms    of    office    of    town    officers    of     149 

HIGH   SCHOOLS,   establishment  of 187 

HIGH    SCHOOL    COMMITTEE,    how    chosen 187 

Minority  representation  in    187 

HIGHWAYS,  towns  may  provide  at  annual  meet- 
ings  for   repair  of    165 

HOUSE    OF  '  REPRESENTATIVES,    election    to 

void,    wheh    1 

HUNTINGTON,   divided   into  voting  districts    ..7 

IDIOT,   not   to  bo  admitted   as   elector    9 

IMPRISONMENT,     effect     of,     on     admission     as 

elector    9 

INSANE  PERSON,  not  to  be  admitted  as  elector       9 
JUDGE  OF  PROBATE,  canvass  of  votes  for..    66,70 

Chosen    by    plurality   vote    67 

Election   of,    how   contested .      70 

Election   in   case  of   tie,   or  to   fill  vacancy  in 

office    of     68 

Election  and   qualifications  of    2 

JUDGE  OF  SUPERIOR  COURT  may  order  ballot 

box    opened     61 

JUSTICES  OF  THE  PEACE,  election  of   3 


KILLINGLY,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

LIBRARIES    in   consolidated    school   districts    .  .   182 
LICENSE,    certificate    of   vote   on,    to    be   trans- 
mitted to  Secretary 156 

Contrary  to  town  vote  void 190 

Secretary  to   furnish  ballots   for  vote  on    ....    189 

Vote  on,  to  be  by  secret  ballot   188 

Vote  to  be  taken  on,  when 187 

When  not  granted,  town  agent  to  be  appointed  191 
LIEUTENANT  -  GOVERNOR,     person     receiving 
highest  number  of  votes  for,  to  be  declared 

elected 66 

LIQUOR  LICENSE,  contrary  to  town  vote,  void  190 
Secretary  to  furnish  ballots  for  vote  on    ....   189 

Vote,   when  taken  on    187 

Vote  on,  to  be  by  secret  ballot   188 

LIQUOR  SALOONS  to  be  closed  on  election  days  191 
LIQUORS,    penalty    for    distribution    of    among 

electors     1 

LIST  OF  ELECTORS  admitted  to  be  delivered  to 

town   clerk    31 

Addition   of   name   of   elector   to,    at   electors' 

meeting    21 

Qualified  to  participate  in  primaries  and  cau- 
cuses,  distribution  of    109 

When  and  how  made 11 

LIST  OF  VOTERS  to  be  used  at  school  district 

meetings     168 

LISTS  OF  ELECTORS,  correction  of    19 

In  cities  to  be  printed   17 

In  Hartford,  Bridgeport  and  New  Britain  how 

made    22 

In  towns  of  less  than  10,000,  how  made    ...      15 
Qualified  to  participate  in  primaries  and  cau- 
cuses, preparation  of 107 

Sessions  of  registrars  to  perfect  and  revise   . .     13 

To  be  deposited  in  town  clerk's  office    21 

"  To    be    made  "    25 

LISTS  OF  WOMEN  VOTERS    25 

LITCHFIELD,   divided  into  voting  districts    ...       7 
MARKER,    penalty    for    removing,    etc.,    during 

election    97 

MEETINGS  FOR  ADMISSION  OF  ELECTORS  . . 

27,32,33 

When  to  close  at  5  o'clock    29 

MEETINGS  OF  REGISTRARS,  hours  of    27 

MERIDEN,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

MIDDLETOWN,   divided  into  voting  districts   . .       7 
MINORITY    REPRESENTATION    on    boards    of 

town  officers    151 

MODERATOR,    authority    of,    to    suppress    dis- 
order    154 

Checkers  to  deliver  certificates  to    56 

Counters  to  deliver  certificate  to 57 


Duties  of,   as  to   disposition  of   counters'   cer- 
tificates         58 

Duties  of,   as  to  rejected  ballots   57 

How   chosen    143 

How  punished  for  delay  in  counting  or  declar- 
ing vote 97 

May  suppress  disorder  at  electors'  meeting   . .     81 

Penalty  for  false  swearing  before 100 

Penalty   for  neglect  to  make  returns  required 

by    law    158 

School  district  meeting,  how  chosen    _3J1 

To  declare  election  of  Representative  to  Gen- 
eral Assembly 64 

To   declare   result   of   ballot   and  make   return 

to  Secretary  of  State    47 

To  declare  result  of  count  of  ballots 58 

To  forward  certificates  to  Secretary  and  town 

clerk 62 

To  make  certificate  of  envelope  and  ballot  re- 
turns to  Secretary   63 

To  return  ballots  to  ballot  box   59 

To  return  ballots  cast  for  town  officers  to  bal- 
lot  box    153 

To    transmit    certificates    of    election   of   regis- 
trar of  births,  marriages  and  deaths    154 

To    transmit   to    Secretary    certificate   of    elec- 
tion of  town  clerk    155 

MODERATORS,  how  appointed 46 

May    administer    oath    to    election    officers    .  .      41 
MUNICIPAL     PURPOSES,     changes    in    bound- 
aries of  districts  for   163 

Condemnation  of  land  by  districts  for .  .   163 

Drains    or    sewers   in    districts    for,    how    paid 

for    163 

Officers  of  districts  for   163 

Organization   of   districts   for    161 

Powers  of  districts  for   162 

Powers  of  districts  for,  restricted    165 

MUSIC,  instruction  may  be  given  in  schools.  . .  .  166 
NATURALIZATION,  sessions  of  courts  for..  194,195 
NATURALIZATION     CERTIFICATE,     must     be 

dated    196 

NATURALIZATION  OF  ALIENS,  records  of   .  .  .    195 

Sessions  of  courts  for   194,  195 

What  courts  have  jurisdiction  of    194 

NATURALIZATION   PAPERS   must  be   paid   for 

by  applicant   196 

Penalty  for  payment  of,  by  others  than  appli- 
cant       196 

NEW  BRITAIN,  divided  into  voting  districts   .  .        7 

Registry  lists  of,  how  made   22 

NEW  HARTFORD,  divided  into  voting  districts  7 
NEW   HAVEN,   annual  town  meetings  in,   when 

held    141 

Divided  into  voting  districts   ' 

10 


Registration  of  inmates  of  almshouses  as  elect-    " 

crs   in    13 

Terms  of  office  of  town  officers  of 149 

NEWTOWN,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

NORTH    BRANFORD,    divided    into    voting    dis- 
tricts           7 

NOR  WALK,  divided  into  voting  districts   7 

NORWICH,   divided  into  voting  districts    7 

OATHS  OF  GRAND  JURORS  AND  CONSTABLES 

to  be  recorded  by  town  clerk   156 

OFFICER    OF    TOWN    OR    CITY,    election    of, 

how    contested    158,  159 

OFFICERS  OF  ELECTION,  to  be  sworn   41 

OFFICERS  OF  SCHOOL  DISTRICTS,  certificate 

of   election   of    173 

To  be  elected  by  majority  vote 173 

Vacancy    how    filled    174 

Election  and  terms  of  office  of    172 

OFFICERS,    STATE,    appeal    to    Supreme    Court 

on  election  of 75 

Canvass  of  vote  for 77 

Correction   of   errors   in   election   of    73 

OFFICERS  voted  for  on  one  ballot   50 

OFFICIAL,   penalty  for  fraud  or  neglect  of,   re- 
lating to   election    98 

OFFICIALS    OF    ELECTION,    may    be    removed 

by  registrars 64 

OPERATIVE,   penalty   for   attempt   by   employer 

to  influence  vote  of 96  - 

ORANGE,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

PATROLMEN,   appointment  and  powers  of    ....   159 

PASTERS,  form  of,  and  how  furnished   54 

PAUPER,   voting  residence  of    30 

PENALTIES  for  offenses  in  connection  with  elec- 
tions      101 

For     violation     of     act     concerning     political 

primaries  and  caucuses   113 

PLYMOUTH,    divided    into   voting    districts    ...        7 
POLLING    PLACE,    ballots    not    to    be    peddled 

within   75    feet   of   entrance    to    55 

POLITICAL  PRIMARIES  AND  CAUCUSES,  reg- 
ulations  for  conduct  of 106 

POLITICAL    PRIMARY   MEETING,    penalty    for 

corrupt  practices  at    95 

POOLS    upon    result    of    election,     penalty    for 

selling     97 

POPULATION,    census    of    United    States    to    be 

used  in  determining    26 

PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED  STATES,  meet- 
ing  of   Presidential    electors    to    cast    ballot 

for    72 

PRESIDENTIAL    ELECTORS,    canvass    of    votes 

for     80 

Correction  of  errors  in  election  of    76 

Election  of    71 

11 


Meeting   of    72 

PRIMARY,   penalty   for   corrupt  practices  at    . .  95 

PRIMARIES,  corrupt  practices  at   82 

Political,    and    caucuses,    regulations    for    con- 
duct of 106 

PRIMARIES    AND    CAUCUSES,    application    for 

enrolment    for   participation   in    110 

Penalties  for  violation  of  law  concerning  con- 
duct  of    113 

PROBATE  CLERK,  appointment  of 3 

PROBATE  COURT,  how  constituted 2 

PROBATE  JUDGE,  election  and  qualifications  of  2 

RECORDS,   to  be  kept  by  registrars    17 

REDDING,    divided    into   voting    districts    7 

REGISTRAR    OF    BIRTHS,    MARRIAGES    AND 
DEATHS,    certificates   of   election   of,    to   be 

transmitted  by  moderator    154 

Women  eligible  to   161 

REGISTRAR    OF    VOTERS,    application    to    be 

made  to,  for  registration  of  elector 12 

Appointment  of  deputy  by   9 

Application  to  be  made  to,  for  registration  of 

elector    12 

Deputy  registrar  and  assistant  to  be  sworn. .  11 

Penalty  for  false  swearing  before   100 

Not    to    hold    office    of    town    clerk    or    select- 
man       149,  152 

REGISTRARS    OF    VOTERS,    appeals    from    de- 
cisions  of    19 

Compensation   of    26 

Compensation  of,  for  preparing  lists  of  school 

districts     171 

Duties  of,  as  to  correction  of  registry  lists...  19 
Duties  of,   as  to  making  of  lists  in  towns  of 

less  than   10,000    15 

Duties  of,  as  to  school  district  meeting    ....  168 

Duties  of,  at  political  primaries  and  caucuses  106 

Duties  of,  at  the  making  of  list  of  electors..  11 

Duties  of,   at  the  registration  of  electors    ...  11 
Duties   of,   may  be  performed  by  deputies  or 

assistants   59 

Election  and  terms  of  office  of 147 

Hours  of  meetings  of    27 

Keeping   of    records   by    17 

May  administer  oath  to  election  officers    ....  41 

May  appoint   challengers    48 

May  remove  the  election  officials 64 

Meetings    of    24 

Of  town  of  Ansonia,  duties  of   16 

Sessions  of,  to  perfect  and  revise  lists 13 

To  appoint  booth  tenders   52 

To  appoint  box  tenders    46 

To  appoint  counters    57 

To  appoint  envelope  and  ballot  booth  tenders  44 

To  appoint  moderators   46 

12 


To  be  present  at  electors'  meetings   66 

To    deposit    lists    of    electors    in    town    clerk's 

office 21 

To  have  lists  of  electors  in  cities  printed. ...  17 
To  make  separate  lists  of  women  voters  ....  25 
To  make  separate  voting  lists  of  women  voters 

for  school  district  meetings 36 

REGISTRARS   OF   HARTFORD,   Bridgeport   and 

New  Britain,  making  of  lists  by 22 

REGISTRATION  OF  ELECTORS   11 

False,    penalty    for    98 

Fraudulent,  penaltv  for    93 

REGISTRY  LIST  to   be  used  in  school  district 

meetings     168 

REGISTRY  LISTS,  correction  of 19 

In  Hartford,  Bridgeport  and  New  Britain,  how 

made     22 

REPRESENTATIVE   IN   CONGRESS,   canvass   of 

vote  for 79,  80 

Correction  of  errors  in  election  of 76 

Elected  by  plurality  vote 71 

Election  of   3,  71 

Vacancy,   how  filled    65 

REPRESENTATIVE   IN  GENERAL  ASSEMBLY, 

presiding  officer  to  declare  election  of  ... .  64 
Penalty  for  illegal  practices  at  election  of . . .  1 
To   be   voted    for   again   when   there   is   a   tie 

vote    65 

Vacancy  how  filled    65 

ROOMS    OR    BOOTHS    for    elections   to   be   pro- 
vided by  selectmen    43 

SALOONS  to  be  closed  on  election  days    191 

SCHOOL  BUSINESS  of  consolidated  districts  to 

be  done  at  town  meeting 178 

SCHOOL   COMMITTEE,   town,   classification  and 

terms  of  office  of    177 

Town,   election  of    176 

Town,  powers  of    173 

Town,   to   become   school   visitors   on   re-estab- 
lishment of  school   district    185 

SCHOOL   DISTRICT,   affairs  of,   how  settled  up 

when    abolished    183 

Certificate  of  election  of  officers  of    173 

Collection  of  taxes  of,  when  abolished   184 

Committee  of,  may  be  divided  into  classes. .  172 
In  two  towns  may  be  dissolved  by  either  . .  168 
Management    of    permanent    funds    of,    where 

districts    are   consolidated    182 

Meetings  of 168 

Notice  where  part  of,  is  abolished 183 

Officers  of,  to  be  elected  by  majority  vote. . .   172 

Payment  of  debts  of,   when  abolished    183 

Special   meetings   of    171 

To  fix  site  of  schoolhouse    174 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled   174 

13 


SCHOOL    DISTRICT    COMMITTEE,    powers   and 

duties  of   186 

SCHOOL    DISTRICT    MEETING,    moderator    of, 

how  chosen   171 

Penalty  for  illegal  voting  at    171 

Vote  taken  by  ballot  at,  when    170 

Separate  lists  of  women  voters  for   36 

Warning  of,  how  given    141 

SCHOOL    DISTRICT    OFFICERS,    election    and 

terms  of  office  of   172 

SCHOOL  DISTRICTS,  compensation  of  registrars 

for    preparation    of   lists    of    171 

Consolidated,   disposition   of  property  of    ....   179 
Consolidated,    extension   of   time    for    payment 

of  excess  of  assessment  in    180 

Consolidated,   payment  of  expenses   of    182 

Consolidated,     proceedings    in    case    of    joint 

district     181 

Consolidation    of    175 

Consolidation  of,  when  to  take  effect 176 

Formation   and   alteration   of    168 

Vote  to  re-establish,   when  to  take  effect    . . .   185 
When    re-established    to    reimburse    town    for 

improvements    184 

SCHOOL  FUND,  TREASURER,  election  of 167 

SCHOOL-HOUSE,  site  of,  how  fixed   174 

SCHOOL  LIBRARIES  in  consolidated  school  dis- 

tricts    •  1 82 

SCHOOL  OFFICERS,'  what  women  'may  vote  'for.'   144 

SCHOOL  PURPOSES,  taking  of  land  for 185 

SCHOOL    VISITORS,    certificate    of    election    of 

school  officers  to  be  forwarded  to    173 

Classification  of    165 

Election  of    148,  166 

To  fill  vacancy  in  school  district  offices    174 

Town    school    committee    to    become,    on    re- 
establishment  of  school  district    185 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled   165 

When  to  fix  site  of  schoolhouse    174 

SCHOOLS,  evening,  establishment  of,  in  smaller 

towns 167 

Instruction  in  music  may  be  given  in   166 

Text-books    and    supplies    may    be    furnished 

free  in   166 

SEALING  STAMPS  for  ballot  box,  how  furnished     60 
SECRETARY,   certificate  of  election  of  registrar 
of  births,  marriages  and  deaths  to  be  trans- 
mitted  to    154 

Certificate   of   election   of   town   officers   to   be 

transmitted  to    155 

Duties    of,    as    to    prescribing    form    of,    and 

furnishing   ballots    88 

Moderator  to  forward  certificates  to    62 

Moderator  to  make  certificate  of  envelope  and 
ballot    returns    to  - 63 

14 


Moderator    to    transmit    certificate    of    election 

of  town  clerk  to   155 

Person  receiving  highest  number  of  votes  for, 

to  be  declared  elected    66 

Statement    of    election    expenses    to    be    filed 

with    86 

To   furnish   ballot  box  sealing  stamps    60 

To  furnish  ballots  for  voting  machines   122 

To  furnish  ballots  for. vote  on  liquor  license..   189 

To  furnish  election  envelopes   39 

To    furnish   pasters    54 

To  provide  town  clerks  with  blanks  for  state- 
ments of  election  expenses    89 

To    send    forms    for   election    returns   to    town 

clerks    64 

To   transmit   forms   for   returns   of   election   of 

presidential  electors  to   town  clerks    72 

Town  clerk  to  transmit  certificate  of  vote  on 

license   to    156 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled 67 

SECRETARY,  TREASURER  AND  COMPTROL- 
LER, to  convass  vote  for  presidential  elect- 
ors and  members  of  congress 80 

To    canvass    votes    for    representative    in    con- 
gress          79 

To  canvass  votes   66,  70 

SELECTMAN,   not  to  hold  office  of  registrar  of 

voters 149,  152 

Not  to  hold  office  of  town  clerk,   town  treas- 
urer or  collector  of  town  taxes    152 

SELECTMEN  authorized  by  town  meeting,  may 

appoint    patrolmen 159 

Clerks    of    courts    to    certify    names    of    male 

convicts    to     18 

Duties  of,  as  to  calling  meeting  for  organiza- 
tion of  district  for  municipal  purposes   ....   161 
Duties  of,  as  to  payment  of  debts  of  abolished 

school    district    183 

Duties  of,  as  to  use  of  voting  machines 118 

Duties  of,  on  re-establishment  of  school  district  184 

Election  of    146 

May  fill  vacancies  in  certain  town  offices    ...   152 

Minority  representation  on  board  of   151 

To  appoint  town  agent  in  no-license  town    . .   191 
To    collect   taxes    of    abolished    school    district  184 
To  determine  number  of  town  school  commit- 
tee after  consolidation    176 

To  provide  envelope  and  ballot  booths   43 

To  provide  rooms  or  booths  and  ballot  boxes 

for    elections     43 

To  provide  voting  places    42 

SELECTMEN  AND  TOWN  CLERK,  appeal  from 

decisions  of  registrars  majr  be  taken  to  . . .  20 
Board  of,  penalty  for  false  swearing  before  .  .  100 
Penalty  for  unlawful  sessions  of  board  of    . .     98 

15 


Meetings  of,  for  admission  of  electors  . .  27,  32,  33 

To  examine  qualifications  of  women  voters    . .  35 

To  fill  vacancy  in  office  of  registrar   10 

Of    Ansonia,    meetings    of,    for    admission    of 

electors     34 

SENATOR,    STATE,    vacancy    in    office    of,    how 

filled     68 

SENATORS,   canvass  of  votes   for    66 

Chosen   by   plurality   vote    67 

Number   of    4 

SENATORIAL  DISTRICTS 4 

SESSIONS  for  enrolment  of  electors  for  partici- 
pation in  primaries   and  caucuses    107 

SHERIFF,  election  of,  how  contested   70 

To  be  chosen  by  General  Assembly  in  case  of 

tie 67 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled 68 

SHERIFFS,  canvass  of  votes  for 66 

Chosen   bv   plurality   vote    67 

SPECIAL    TOWN    MEETINGS,    when    held    141 

STAFFORD,    divided    into   voting   districts    7 

STAMFORD,  divided  into  voting  districts   7 

STATE,   elector  not  to   lose  residence  by  reason 

of   absence   in   service  of    11 

STATE    OFFICERS,    appeal    to    Supreme    Court 

on   election   of    75 

Canvass  of  votes  for   77 

Correction   of   errors   in   election   of    73 

Persons    receiving    highest    number    of    votes 

for,  to  be  declared  elected 66 

Vacancy    how    filled    67 

When   chosen   by    General   Assembly    66 

STATE   SENATORS,   number  of    4 

STONINGTON,    divided   into   voting   districts    .  .  7 

STRATFORD,  divided  into  voting  districts 7 

SUPPLIES,    towns    may    furnish    free    to    school 

children      166 

TEXT-BOOKS,  town  may  furnish  free  to  school 

children    16C 

THREATS    of    employer    to    influence    vote    of 

operative,  penalty  for   96 

THOMPSON,    divided  into   voting   districts    7 

TOWN  may  adopt  and  use  voting  machines   ...  117 

May  form  or  alter  school  district    168 

To    consolidate   its   school   districts    175 

TOWN    AGENT,    appointment    of,    in    no-license 

town     191 

First   selectman,   when    151 

TOWN    CLERK,    certificate    of    appointment    of 

deputy  registrar  to  be  filed  with 10 

Certificate    of    election    of,    to    be   transmitted 

by  moderator    155 

Duties  of,  as  to  procuring  election  envelopes  39,  40 

List  of  electors  admitted  to  be  delivered  to .  .  31 

Lists  of  electors  to  be  deposited  with   21 

16 


Moderator  to  forward  certificates  to    62 

Not  to  hold  office  of  registrar  of  voters  . .   149,  152 

Not  to  hold  office  of  selectman    152 

To     destroy    unused     election     envelopes     and 

make  return  to  Secretary 40 

To  furnish  blanks  for  report  of  inspection  of 

voting    machines    123 

To   issue  warning   for   electors'   meeting    ....     41 

To  keep  lists  of  women  voters   35 

To   notify  Secretary   of  the  number  of  ballot 

boxes  to  be  used  at  election   61 

To   preserve   ballots   cast   for   town  officers    . .   153 

To  preserve  sealed  ballot  box 60 

To    record    oaths    of    grand    jurors    and    con- 
stables        156 

To    transmit    to    Secretary    certificate    of    vote 

on  license 156 

To  warn   electors'   meeting  to   fill  vacancy  in 

office  of  representative    65 

TOWN  CLERK  AND  SELECTMEN,  appeal  from 

decisions  of  registrars  may  be  taken  to..  20 
Meetings  of,  for  admission  of  electors  .  27,  32,  33 
Penalty  for  unlawful  sessions  of  board  of  . .  98 
To  examine  qualifications  of  women  voters   . .     35 

To  fill  vacancy  in  office  of  registrar   10 

Of    Ansonia,    meetings    of,    for    admission    of 

electors    34 

TOWN   CLERKS,   election  of    146 

To  transmit   to   Secretary   certificates  of   elec- 
tion  of   town   officers    155 

TOWN  ELECTIONS,   how  contested    158,  159 

TOWN  MEETING,  high  school  committee  to  be 

elected  at    187 

In  smaller  towns  may  vote  to  establish  even- 
ing   schools     167 

May  authorize  selectmen  to  appoint  patrolmen  159 
May  direct  that  instruction  be  given  in  music 

in  schools    166 

May    direct    that    text-books    and    supplies    be 

furnished    free    166 

May  fill  vacancy  in  elective  town  office 152 

Moderator  to  suppress  disorder  at   154 

Registrars  to  be  present  at    56 

Where    held    160 

Who  mav  vote  for  officers  at   143 

TOWN   MEETINGS,    annual,    ballot   boxes   when 

opened  at    152 

Annual,    hour   of   opening    142 

Annual  and  special,  when  held   141 

How   conducted    143 

School  business  of  consolidated  districts  to  be 

done  at    178 

Warning  of,  how  given 141 

TOWN  OFFICE,  vacancy  in,  how  filled 152 

17 


TOWN  OFFICER,  election  of,  how  contested   .. 

158,  159 

Penalty  for  not  performing  duties  of  office  of  157 
TOWN   OFFICERS,   ballots  cast  for,   to  be  pre- 
served        153 

How  appointed   150 

Plurality  of  votes  to  elect    150 

Terms  of  office  of    149 

Town   clerks   to   transmit  to   Secretary   certifi- 
cates of  election  of   155 

Who    may   vote    for    143 

TOWN   OFFICES,    certain,   women   eligible   to..   160 
TOWN  SCHOOL  COMMITTEE,  classification  and 

terms  of   office  of    177 

Duties  on  re- establishment  of  school  district. .   184 

Election  of    176 

Powers    of 178 

To    become    school    visitors    on    re-establishing 

the    school    districts    185 

TOWN  TREASURER,  not  to  hold  office  of  select- 
man       152 

TOWN  TREASURERS,   election  of    146 

TOWNS  may  establish  high  schools    187 

May    take    lands    for    school    purposes    where 

districts   are   consolidated    185 

May    provide    at    annual    meetings    for    repair 

of   highways    165 

To    assume    property    of    consolidated    school 

districts     179 

To    be    reimbursed    for    improvements    on    re- 
establishing of  school  districts    184 

To  elect  tree   wardens    192 

To  pay  expenses  of  consolidated  school  districts  182 
TREASURER,   person   receiving   highest   number 

of  votes  for,  to  be  declared  elected    66 

Vacancy  in  office  of,  how  filled 67 

Secretary  and  Comptroller  to  canvass  votes. .   66,  70 
TREASURER,    SECRETARY    AND    COMPTROL- 
LER, to  canvass  vote  for  presidential  elect- 
ors and  members  of  congress    80 

To    canvass    vote    for    representative    in    con- 
gress          79 

TREASURER  OF  TOWN  DEPOSIT  FUND,  elec- 
tion of   146 

TREE   WARDEN,   election   and   duties   of    192 

TREES  in  public  places,  protection  and  care  of  192 
UNITED  STATES,   elector  not  to  lose  residence 

bv  reason  of  absence  in  service  of    11 

UNITED    STATES   CITIZENS,    admission   of,    as 

electors    8 

UNITED    STATES    HOUSE    OF    REPRESENTA- 
TIVES,  election  of  members  of    3 

UNOFFICIAL  BALLOTS,  penalty  for  printing..    104 
VACANCIES   in  town   offices,   how  filled    152 


18 


VICE-PRESIDENT  OF  THE  UNITED   STATES, 
meeting    of    Presidential    electors    to    cast 

ballot    for     72 

Penalty  for  delay  in  counting  or  declaring ...     97 

VOTE,    declared   by   moderator    47 

VOTER,  interference  with,  prohibited 54 

May  alter  his  ballot,   how    54 

Penalty  for  intimidation  of,  by  United  States 

officer   199,  200 

VOTERS  at  electors'  and  city  meetings    49 

Penalty  for  United  States  officers  fixing  qual- 
ifications   for    199,  200 

VOTES,    penalty    for    fraudulent    abstraction    or 

intermingling    of     99 

VOTING,   fraudulent,   penalty  for    100 

Penalty  for  influencing  elector  to  refrain  from     99 
VOTING  DISTRICTS,  assistant  registrar  may  be 

appointed  for   10 

Towns  divided  into   7 

VOTING  LISTS,  revision  and  perfection  of  . . . .     13 
VOTING  MACHINE  COMMISSIONERS,  appoint- 
ment and   duties  of    117 

VOTING  MACHINES,  examination  and  approval 

of    115 

May  be  adopted  by  municipalities 117 

Requirements    of    116 

Use  of,  in  election   117 

VOTING  PLACE,  arrangement  of  and  admission 

to    44 

VOTING  PLACES  to  be  provided  by  selectmen  42 
WALLINGFORD,  divided  into  voting  districts  . .  7 
WARNING    for    electors'    meeting,    penalty    for 

failure  to  issue    97 

Of  electors'  meeting,  how  given   41 

WARNINGS   of   town,   city,   borough   and   other 

meetings,  how  given   141 

WATERBURY,  divided  into  voting  districts   ...       7 

WINDSOR,  divided  into  voting  districts    7 

WOMEN,  entitled  to  vote  for  school  officers 144 

Eligible  to  certain  town  offices    160 

WOMEN  VOTERS,  lists  of,  to  be  kept  by  town 

clerk     35 

Qualifications  of 34 

Qualifications   of,   to   be   examined   by   select- 
men  and  town   clerk    35 

Separate    voting    lists    to    be    made    of,    for 

school  district  meetings   36 

Separate  lists  to  be  made  of   25 

WOMEN'S    BALLOTS,    ballot    box    to    be    pro- 
vided for   62 

WOODSTOCK,   divided   into   voting   districts    ..       7 


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